David Ayer’s Heart of the Beast drops viewers into the Alaskan wilderness following a harrowing plane crash, stranding Special Forces officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his combat dog, Odin (Uber). Forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements, the film establishes itself as an intense adventure thriller exploring the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend.
Heart of the Beast
- Director: David Ayer
- Starring: Brad Pitt, J.K. Simmons, Anna Lambe
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Thriller
Yet, it is also a fascinating conundrum of a cinematic experience. It is most certainly entertaining, despite being incredibly inconsistent in its pacing. The narrative unfolds exactly as slowly as one might expect when watching characters arduously traverse a vast wilderness on foot. When danger strikes, it happens quickly and furiously, but it stops just as abruptly as it started. Between these events, very little transpires, which may leave some viewers feeling disconnected from the plot. If a film lacks a traditional plot, one assumes it relies on character study to remain engaging, but character development here is sparse. The two protagonists are already deeply rooted in who they are; their past experiences have completely forged their identities. Despite lacking the conventional elements of entertaining storytelling, the film manages to grab and hold attention through its entire hour-and-forty-minute runtime.
Heart of the Beast relies heavily on empathy and beautiful visuals to earn the audience’s investment. Its core lies in the bond between James and Odin. Through heavily stylized PTSD flashbacks, we not only witness what they have endured together, but we almost experience the trauma alongside them. It doesn’t take long to fully grasp the depth of their unspoken covenant—a connection forged in the fires of mortal danger and absolute chaos. This shared history makes it easy to savour the quiet moments where the two simply sit together sharing food or water. The thread of empathy runs most strongly through Odin. The canine gets plenty of prolonged screen time, his big, expressive eyes exuding the presence of an old soul. With little more than a look, he conveys exactly what he is thinking and feeling. Add the obvious injuries sustained from his service, and Odin easily commands our emotions. This bond is all that is needed to carry the narrative through the slower moments of trekking between obstacles. Should that connection wane, the natural visuals step in to stimulate and distract. With New Zealand substituting for Alaska, the cinematography is nothing short of mesmerizing. From glacier ridges and vast, calm lakes to thick forests and mountainous backgrounds, the camera always finds something stunning to capture when it isn’t focused on the protagonists.
The film features several visceral action and survival sequences, and their impact relies heavily on surprise. Detailing them would deflate their intense, nail-biting tension, which frequently leaves the fate of the main characters in genuine doubt. More than once, the sheer stakes of the wilderness encounters prompt the question of whether it is the end of the line for one of the protagonists. The ending is handled with a similar level of care and honesty, preserving the raw emotional power built up over the preceding acts.
Brad Pitt offers his usual reliable performance as James Belmont, a hardened combat veteran who refuses to be fazed by whatever harrowing situation presents itself. J.K. Simmons is solid as a wandering stranger happy for a brief moment of human interaction. While his character is clearly a plot device designed expressly to deliver exposition, Simmons more than succeeds at camouflaging his character’s reason for being with a nuanced, engaging performance. The highest praise, however, belongs to Uber. It is astounding how much personality and complexity translates on screen through his eyes and subtle movements. Despite the rigorous training required to create such an illusion, it genuinely feels as though the canine is making active performance decisions.
Heart of the Beast is not a conventional Hollywood film. In an unorthodox approach, it relies on fully established characters and our inherent empathy for their past traumas rather than traditional character arcs to sustain engagement. Combining this raw emotional core with insanely beautiful cinematography makes it a definite must-see. While it may not land on many people’s “watch again” list, I highly recommend experiencing it on the biggest screen possible.
