Ridley Scott's 'The Dog Stars' Offers a Quiet, Hopeful Take on Post-Apocalyptic Western
The new Ridley Scott film starring Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley blends a subdued western vibe with post-apocalyptic drama, earning praise for its visual style and performances despite a modest release.
Disney delayed the debut of Ridley Scott's 'The Dog Stars' until late summer, opting for a low-key rollout without a U.S. red-carpet premiere. The movie, based on Peter Heller's 2012 novel and scripted by Mark L. Smith, presents a melancholic, western-styled narrative set in 2035 after an influenza pandemic decimated humanity. Jacob Elordi portrays Hig, a widower who, together with his loyal Belgian Malinois Jasper, conducts reconnaissance flights from an abandoned Colorado airstrip while contending with the violent scavenger group known as the Reapers.
Josh Brolin's hardened veteran Bangley, Allison Janney's eccentric flight attendant cameo, and Margaret Qualley's grieving widow Cima enrich the ensemble. Filmed in Italy's Alpine foothills, Abruzzo and Lazio, Erik Messerschmidt's cinematography supplies expansive vistas, and Harry Gregson-Williams' score blends acoustic guitar, Dobro and orchestral strings to match the film's tone. Though the pacing is deliberately restrained and some scenes feel uneven, critics note it as one of Scott's more contemplative works since 'The Martian.'
Why it matters
The review highlights a major director's shift toward quieter storytelling in a genre dominated by fast-paced action.
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