Ridley Scott’s Newest Film ‘The Dog Stars’ Is Winning Over Early Audiences by Slowing Everything Down

Ridley Scott has built an entire career on delivering massive, visually stunning spectacles, from the sprawling battles of ‘Gladiator’ to the existential dread of ‘Alien.’ At 88 years old, he’s shown no signs of slowing down creatively, even as questions have lingered about whether mainstream audiences still show up for his films the way they once did.

His latest project seemed, on paper, like familiar territory: another post-apocalyptic story set in a world ravaged by disaster. Following its world premiere in London at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 20, though, early reactions to ‘The Dog Stars’ suggest Scott has taken a noticeably different approach than fans might have expected.

Rather than delivering a generic, action-packed dystopian nightmare, Scott has crafted something surprisingly quiet, emotional, and contemplative, one that still finds room for sudden, fierce moments of tension. Critic Phil Roberts, editor of Future of the Force, captured that shift directly: “Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars is a surprisingly humble and emotionally weighted change of pace for the director,” he wrote. “With its impressive cinematography, endless desolation and magnetic performances from Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin, it’s an impressive post-apocalyptic ride.”

Based on Peter Heller’s acclaimed 2012 novel, the film follows Hig, a civilian pilot played by Jacob Elordi who survived a devastating pandemic but lost his wife to the disease. Living in an isolated Colorado airbase alongside his dog and a hardened military survivalist named Bangley, played by Josh Brolin, Hig’s quiet existence is upended when a mysterious radio transmission suggests there may still be hope for humanity beyond his homestead.

That premise gives the film a distinctly different rhythm than typical genre fare, blending western-style pacing with sudden bursts of intensity. Podcast host and YouTuber Patrick Tomasso echoed that sentiment in his own reaction, describing the film as “soothing and gruelling,” calling it “a western set at the end of the world with a big heart,” while noting it mixes “intense FURY ROAD energy” with “quiet campfires under the stars.”

Much of the early buzz has centered on the dynamic between Elordi and Brolin, whose contrasting personalities as pilot and survivalist have been widely praised as magnetic and central to the film’s emotional core. That pairing gives the story its backbone, grounding the film’s larger themes of survival and human connection in something more intimate than spectacle alone.

Interestingly, one of the film’s biggest breakout performers isn’t human at all. Early reviews have repeatedly singled out Hig’s canine companion, played by dog actor Rak Jasper, as a genuine scene-stealer throughout the film, adding an unexpected layer of warmth to the otherwise bleak setting.

This marks Scott’s first film since 2024’s ‘Gladiator II,’ and reports suggest the material carries genuine personal significance for the director. Growing up during wartime bombing raids has apparently shaped his connection to stories about survival and hope amid devastation, themes that clearly run throughout ‘The Dog Stars.’

The film also arrives with a notable behind-the-scenes footnote, having originally cast Paul Mescal in the lead role before scheduling conflicts with Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles biographical film quartet led to Elordi taking over the part instead. Rounding out the supporting cast are Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Allison Janney, and Benedict Wong.

With ‘The Dog Stars’ set for wide release across North America on August 28, these early reactions suggest Scott has managed to defy expectations once again, delivering something more restrained and character-focused than the genre typically offers. For a director who’s spent decades alternating between massive hits and more divisive misses, this kind of early enthusiasm bodes well heading into its theatrical run.

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