THE DOG STARS
Out 27th AUGUST 2026
Wednesday 26th August 2026
Written by: Rashid AlKamraikhi
Film Stills provided by: 20th Century Studios
DO THESE STARS ALIGN?
Set in a post-apocalyptic world where an influenza outbreak has wiped out a large chunk of humanity, we are introduced to Hig (Jacob Elordi), a mechanic who now grinds out his existence by making runs in his Cessna from the abandoned airfield that he has made his home, to the decaying city of Erie, Colorado. There, he scavenges supplies, accompanied by his dog and best friend, Jasper, and visits his old home to stay connected to the life he once had. He has his routine down, and a cache of supplies built up, but, during an altercation with another survivor (Ewen Bremner), he is warned about a band of marauders that are taking over the city.
Pictured: Higs (Jacob Elordi)
Upon returning to the airfield, he warns his survivalist partner Bangley (Josh Brolin) about the new threat, however, their alliance shows strain as they both question each other’s methods of survival. After a harrowing night, Hig makes the decision to leave, and find the source of a radio transmission that he had intercepted while out flying his Cessna. The two part on amicable terms, and Higs adventure towards what comes next begins.
Pictured: Bangley (Josh Brolin)
Directed by Ridley Scott, The Dog Stars is beautifully filmed, from the stunning wide shots of the wilderness, to the sharp angles used to capture all the details of the reclaimed world. It sits firmly in the post-apocalyptic mould that we have already become accustomed to from shows like The Walking Dead and The Last Of Us, just minus the zombies and fungal infections, but it still gives you the feeling of the paranoia and dangers that inherently come with it.
Pictured: Cima (Margaret Qualley)
All of the actors of the main cast play their parts very well, with Guy Pearce’s ‘Pops’ probably being the stand-out role, delivering a range of emotion from aggression, to humour, to tenderness, while maintaining the ‘true grit’ of the character. My only real issue with the film is how the grounded realism of the central characters contrasts with the cartoonish threats of its villains. The mauraders have, for example, in less than a decade devolved into animalistic subhumans that only seem capable of communicating through barks, growls, and whistles. I can’t help but feel that this dehumanising of them is so that we don’t think too hard about it as they are chopped up and blown to bits. There were cheers from the audience at the screening I attended when one of the film’s aggressors is graphically dismembered by the blades of the Cessna’s propellers.
Pictured: Pops (Guy Pearce)
Even with its faults, The Dog Stars is a fun ride that delivers enough action and intrigue to keep you invested throughout it’s 2 Hour run time.
