Review: Heart of the Beast – Survival of the (Pitt)est

Directed by David Ayer
Starring Brad Pitt, JK Simmons, Anna Lambe 

7/10

A retired special forces officer (Brad Pitt) and his service dog are trapped in a mountain valley when their small plane crashes. Injured, they must use the skills and the relationship they’ve forged through years of harsh combat to work their way back to civilisation. However, the elements, nature, and just plain bad luck may have other plans.

Heart of the Beast is a remarkably confident wilderness survival film that makes the most out of its small cast and beautiful Alaskan setting (well, New Zealand standing in for Alaska). With such a tiny cast, it is able to pack it with A-grade actors, giving emotional weight to the limited interactions it does have. It should also be said that the numerous canine actors that play Odin do a lot more than just act as a sounding board for Pitt. Director David Ayer (Suicide Squad) manages to capture a genuine emotional reaction from the creatures that amplifies Pitt’s gruff, stoic character.

This is the relationship that grounds the film and the emotional core that it builds around. Pitt’s history is built around the relationship with his ex-service animal, and through it we learn of the trauma they’ve both suffered. The role is incredibly physical, not merely in terms of the strenuous action sequences but in terms of general nonverbal cues (in the way he carries himself). Pitt conveys as much in silence, through bearing and expressions, as he does in conversation with Odin. It is a believable relationship with some genuine chemistry, showing how both have been put through the grinder of military service.

As stated, the nature photography in this film is also a highlight. The setting is harsh and unfeeling, as is the brutality it inflicts, but it is also enticing. You can see why such an isolated wilderness is a draw card for the damaged veteran and why its solitude is restorative. You can also see the sensible approach to survival that this script takes, appreciating the plan even as it falls apart.

Heart of the Beast is a film that exists in this dichotomy. It uses it to create an exceptional tonal piece and draws the audience into this experience, allowing us to appreciate the danger and the wonder more. It’s a concept that’s straight out of Kurosawa’s playbook, of heightening the stakes by making you appreciate all the beauty that life has to offer in the quiet moments, and Ayer plays it well.

Plus, this is a dog film that can appeal even to a dedicated cat person. Odin is certainly the bestest of boys, and the film zeroes in on the tragedy that so loyal and smart an animal is injured and mutilated through their service and discarded by the government and country they serve. Yes, this parallel is certainly drawn to returning veterans as well, but that’s just tragedy compounded.

The downside of this is the CG animals. The German Shepherds play the part of Odin so well that when you do see a digital creature, the difference is blinding. In a number of key dramatic sequences this becomes extremely obvious, destroying the tension that the film has been building. None of that is fatal to an otherwise solid film, but it is still a flaw.

Heart of the Beast is a showcase of beauty and savagery in an exceptionally competent piece of filmmaking.

DAVID O’CONNELL