DOG STARS, THE

(director: Ridley Scott; screenwriter: Mark L. Smith, based on the novel by Peter Heller; cinematographer: Erik Messerschmidt; editors: Sam Restivo, Claire Simpson; music: Harry Gregson-Williams; cast: Jacob Elordi (Hig), Margaret Qualley (Cima), Josh Brolin (Bangley), Guy Pearce (Pops), Allison Janney (Darleen), Benedict Wong (Aaron, Mennonite leader), Ewen Bremner (Crossbow Hunter), Sam Spruel (John), James Craig (Logan), Sai Bennett (Melissa, Hig’s deceased wife); Runtime: 118; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Ridley Scott, Michael Pruss, Mark L. Smith, Cliff Roberts; 20th Century; 2026-UK/USA)

“A clumsily made, boring, and sad sci-fi post-apocalyptic dud.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A clumsily made, boring, and sad sci-fi post-apocalyptic dud directed by the venerable 88-year-old Ridley Scott (“Napoleon”/”The Last Duel”) and written by Mark L. Smith. It’s an adaptation of Peter Heller’s 2012 novel. It tells of the Earth ravaged by a mysterious flu pandemic that has caused a rift among the survivors that leads to a mind-blowing conclusion.

In 2035, two survivors, the optimistic grieving widower airplane mechanic and pilot Hig (Jacob Elordi), and his loyal dog Jasper, live with the older, pessimistic, burly, former gung-ho marine sharpshooter Bangely (Josh Brolin). They live a simple life at a heavily armed rural Colorado compound, in an abadoned airplane hangar in Erie. Hig wants to search for others, Bangely doesn’t–he calls strangers “roaches.”

Eventually Hig searches alone on his repaired small Cessna the mountains for other survivors and finds through radio signals the gorgeous medical student Cima (Margaret Qualley) and her protective cowboy father Pops (Guy Pearce) when he crashlands near their ranch.

Hig and the gruff rancher are confronted by a heavily tatttooed mob of Latino predators known as the Reapers, but they escape their attack by plane.

In the last act, at the airport in Grand Junction, we come across the psychopath Darlene (Allison Janney), an aging stewardess and nutty leader of a utopian group of survivors. The pic goes into a Twilight Zone type of story that involves her interactions with Hig and that weird survivalist group that leaves us in the dark.

The mountain location shots and the shots of a destroyed Denver were visual treats.

When the ambitious film takes itself too seriously, however, it doesn’t feel right.

REVIEWED ON 8/30/2026  GRADE: C
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