Ridley Scott's latest film, The Dog Stars, a post-apocalyptic thriller starring Jacob Elordi, lands in UK cinemas on August 26, 2026, but the film struggles to justify its pandemic-centric premise so soon after the real-world Covid-19 crisis. The 88-year-old director, known for Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, and Alien, delivers a visually striking but narratively underwhelming experience that fails to offer either escapism or a distinct identity.
A Premise Too Close to Home
Adapted from Peter Heller's 2012 sci-fi novel of the same name, with a screenplay by Mark L. Smith, The Dog Stars is set in 2035. Elordi plays Hig, a mechanic and pilot who is one of the few survivors after a deadly flu outbreak has decimated the world's population and collapsed society. While Heller's foresight is admirable, the choice to release such a film in 2026, just years after the actual pandemic, feels risky and ill-timed.
Scott, who identifies himself as a newshound, has warned that the film lays out world events that are just around the corner. However, the movie lacks the substance or distinct identity to make a lasting impact. It is not offering the challenging yet entertaining experience Scott might have intended, nor does it provide the escapism audiences often seek.
Visuals and Performances
Despite the narrative shortcomings, the film boasts gorgeous visuals. Scott excels at shooting majestic landscapes, with Italy standing in for Colorado in the United States. Elordi replaced Paul Mescal in the lead role after Mescal's commitments to Sir Sam Mendes' four-part Beatles biopic. Elordi brings a rugged capability to the role of a stoic widowed mechanic and pilot, though Mescal might have nailed Hig's lonely-at-the-end-of-the-world vibe.
Hig lives at an abandoned airstrip in Erie with military survivalist Bangley (Josh Brolin) and his dog Jasper. While Bangley is a batten-down-the-hatches type, Hig remains hopeful of finding signs of humanity. He delivers supplies to a Mennonite farming community led by Aaron (Benedict Wong) and flies into abandoned Denver for medical kit and canned goods.
Slow Start and Derivative Elements
The film has a slow start, with vague world-building and unclear threats. Hig lingers outside ruined Denver City Hall and encounters a scavenger, evoking Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later and its stark, empty cityscapes. The film also fails to clearly explain the lingering dangers: some flu survivors are left with a debilitating blood disease, mentioned only near the end, while deathly white and crazed gangs lurk around.
When Hig receives a mysterious radio transmission from Grand Junction, an emergency landing brings him to the mistrustful Pops (Guy Pearce) and his daughter Cima (Margaret Qualley) at a remote homestead. The growing connection between Hig and Cima is handled deftly, acknowledging their shared grief, which allows it to resonate quietly and realistically.
Bold Departure and Mixed Results
Hig eventually reaches Grand Junction, where a surreal section introduces a terrifying Allison Janney, feeling like it belongs to a completely different film. This marks the movie's boldest departure from the book, a swing that misses. The film is competent, with Scott elevating the material as best he can alongside a cast of tried-and-tested actors. Pockets of humour come from Pearce's unimpressed Pops and Brolin's slightly unhinged Bangley, while Elordi and Qualley play the grounded grown-ups.
However, The Dog Stars lacks the personality to have a lasting impact like many of Scott's previous films. The fundamental issue remains the puzzling decision to make a movie about a deadly flu pandemic just years after a real one, without offering much more than that. The film is in UK cinemas from today and releases in the US and elsewhere on Friday, August 28.
