01/09/2026
The Dog Stars (Rated: 15)
Is showing daily at REEL Cinema Bridgnorth 5:10pm and 7:50pm
Charlie gives it a 3/5 rating and here's his review..... it sounds a really interesting film...
In the future of 2035, humanity has almost been completely wiped out by a flu pandemic and the only survivors live in small communities across the world. Hig (Jacob Elordi), a former mechanic, turned pilot, flies out to retrieve food and fuel for himself, a former Marine named Bangley (Josh Brolin), and for nearby communities, from nearly ruined cities, with the help of his loyal dog, Jasper. After hearing a mysterious message on the radio signal, and surviving an attack that has tragic consequences, Hig sets out to find the source of the signal….
Despite having a strong filmography of science fiction classics like Alien, Blade Runner and The Martian, Sir Ridley Scott’s reputation as one of the most prominent “hit or miss” directors out there, is back in full force with this adaptation of the 2012 Peter Heller post apocalyptic novel, The Dog Stars.
While it is fantastic that one of Britain’s most famous auteur directors can still make films with such fantastic cinematography and music, with this film being no exception thanks to the skills of Erik Messerschmidt and Harry Gregson-Williams, The Dog Stars doesn’t really stand out in an already overcrowded subgenre of post apocalyptic cinema. If you’ve seen I Am Legend, The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later and George Romero’s zombie films, then, apart from one memorable sequence that takes place in an airport base with Allison Janney, you’ve seen much of The Dog Stars already.
Despite the title setting up expectations, for a different film than most people are expecting, Jacob Elordi’s best acting moments come from his protagonist’s relationship with his dog. While the likes of Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Benedict Wong and Guy Pearce don’t get much to work with, they all give great performances to make their archetype characters, really charming and interesting.
Overall, despite being another slight miss in Ridley Scott’s later career, The Dog Stars is a fascinating watch for people looking for a more visually stunning and thoughtful science fiction tale, despite having some boring moments.
