written by: Cameron Alexander
produced by: David Ayer, Olivia Hamilton, Brad Pitt, Marty Bowen, Richard Raymond & Nick Satriano
directed by: David Ayer
rated: PG-13 (for violence, peril, bloody/injury images and some language)
runtime: 101 min.
U.S. release date: September 25, 2026

Known for adrenaline-fueled, intense movies with a penchant for violence, such as “End of Watch” and “The Beekeeper”, director David Ayer shows a kinder, gentler side with “Heart of the Beast”. Even with a plane crash, raging white water rapids, and an attack by a pack of vicious wolves, this is still a change of pace for Ayer. Screenwriter Cameron Alexander makes his feature-length debut, telling a survival tale about two friends who have survived combat war zones and carry the mental and physical wounds to prove it. The movie is for dog lovers and viewers who like survival flicks, and if you’re both, like me, well, you’re in for a treat.

Retired Army Special Forces veteran James Belmont (Brad Pitt) pilots his Cessna into the Alaskan wilderness, planning to camp for a few days with his canine companion, Odin (Uber), a German Shepherd who served with him during a Middle Eastern conflict. The pair are one and the same, knowing what every body movement means, and are inseparable, their reliance on each other forged in the perilous chaos of war. The pair are ready to take in the serene land, relishing the isolation of living off the grid while staying mindful of the wild’s dangers. As a storm develops, they take to the sky to get above it. But James has a heart attack while piloting the plane and crashes into a forest, where he’s forced to put himself back together before finding Odin in the mess. They reunite and make their way on foot to find civilization, but the journey is fraught with peril, putting James and Odin in survival mode as they struggle to avoid vicious animals and treacherous elements on the way to safety.

Don’t worry, the dog doesn’t die. Does that spoil something for you? Well, consider it a public service announcement. I know some are wary of such canine tales, and I think screenwriters have learned a thing or two about movies that involve animals in peril, especially man’s best friend. “Heart of the Beast” gets that possible audience anxiety out of the way at the outset, opening with a brief flash-forward of a motorist (Anna Lambe) discovering a solo Odin on a lone road.

That opening may be an unnecessary reveal, but maybe the goal is to put viewers at ease right away. Nevertheless, it’s brief, and the story soon has us flying through the sky with James and the dog, who take in the sights (thanks to Mauro Fiore’s excellent cinematography) as they look for a place to camp for the night. It doesn’t take long for us to understand how connected these two are, with both having their own physical scars and psychological damage. James is covered in scars, while Odin is fitted with a prosthetic front leg and a set of titanium teeth, and both of them are subject to nightmares that revisit the horrors of combat.

Dialogue isn’t needed, as we fully understand the camaraderie between the two characters as they relax, play, and hunt together. There’s a fun scene where they fish along a river, and Odin grabs a big salmon with his teeth; Pitt’s James goes fly fishing, which instantly conjures memories of the actor from 1992’s “A River Runs Through It”. These moments serve to strengthen their companionship, even while elements of combat PTSD are imminent.

Early on, the duo runs into a visitor in the forest: a genial old wanderer named Watkins (J.K. Simmons, bearded and weathered), who finds James and Odin encroaching on their campsite and gladly accepts a few beers. He’s only around for one night, leaving first thing in the morning in his handmade canoe and leaving James a poignant gift. Watkins quickly sees the connection between the partners, and his inclusion is obviously designed to verbalize the union before the story puts them through the ultimate test.

Ayer leans into predictability, and that’s not a bad thing, since he knows what we’re here for. Disaster strikes quickly with James’s mid-air heart attack, which adds early physical weakness and removes the possibility of an easy escape. While James is forced to manage pain, he also comes prepared, which gives the movie a different approach to the survival genre. Here is a protagonist with real survival skills, yet he still has to contend with nature’s unpredictability. He and Odin inevitably encounter wildlife, including a giant bear and a pack of stalking wolves (all pretty convincing CGI creations), and eventually both are wounded. Their perilous journey provides “Heart of the Beast” with convincing tension and, at times, a real sense of danger.

The star of the movie is definitely Uber, a former law enforcement search-and-rescue dog from New Zealand, where the movie was filmed. While three other stunt dogs play his role, Odin’s most memorable trait is his soulful eyes and knowing stare, and that is all Uber. At times, the titular “Beast” outacts Pitt, and it seems the veteran actor is alright with that. How could you not be? The two were given a couple of weeks together before shooting began to break in their bond, and it shows, thanks to animal coordinator Andrew Simpson. Pitt effortlessly fits into the role, conveying a strained physicality and a tortured mentality, but this is the dog’s movie.

Most of the music from composer Jared Michael Fry (who collaborated with Ayer on two Statham actioners, “The Beekeeper” and “A Working Man”) is piano-driven with indigenous flair, accentuating the contemplative tone of many scenes. Some of the music definitely aligns with the movie’s manipulative rhythm (I mean that in the best sense), and it fits, given all the feels “Heart of the Beast” offers. Ayer and Alexander lean into tearjerker mode in the third act, and it’s all warranted and well-earned.

RATING: ***