Scott’s deft handling of the film’s central blossoming romance, without overt sexuality or expected beats, impresses… although Qualley left me apathetic. She either tries too hard to emote — her lips doing most of the work, curling this way and that — or she becomes a blank slate, out of place in a film that demands a solid screen presence, one that matches its gravity. Brolin, on the other hand, is the film’s highlight, effortlessly making us care for his ethically dubious Bangley. One standout scene, involving the man going all Rambo on a bunch of tattooed “ferals”, justifies the price of an admission ticket. Elordi, in a solid, reserved performance, once again proves that he’s one of our most versatile young actors (compare him here to the haunting turn in Frankenstein).
(L-R) Jacob Elordi as Hig and Josh Brolin as Bangley in 20th Century Studios’ THE DOG STARS. Photo by Fabio Lovino. © 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
“…he man going all Rambo on a bunch of tattooed ‘ferals’…”
The Allison Janey / Grand Junction bit — a rather huge deviation from its source material — left me befuddled. It’s a curious choice, to say the least, a sudden injection of Terry Gilliam into an otherwise somber, lyrical affair. The almost carnivalesque sequence occurs towards the end, and I still can’t figure out if it should’ve been completely omitted, or whether Scott should’ve trusted his impulse and fully delved into the madness. As it stands, it’s neither here nor there, a weirdly eccentric, garish scene that seems to serve little function except to reiterate the tired “sanctuary as lunatic hell” trope. Without it, the film would’ve arguably been 15 minutes shorter, and 15% better.
A throwback to films of yore, where characters and ideas came first, Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars may not break new ground, but it’s an immersive meditation on what makes us human, the lengths to which we go to protect our very souls. In a summer of rehashed blockbusters, it urges us to take a breath and look at the stars. Who cares what the constellations are called, after all, if we can see our beloved canine companion in them?
"…jaw-dropping cinematography courtesy of Erik Messerschmidt..."
