The Dog Stars – Movie Review (2/5)

THE DOG STARS is a post-apocalyptic Ridley Scott survival thriller based on the book of the same name. The trailer had me intrigued, though it also reminded me of many other post-apocalyptic productions. Very early on, I started to feel like this wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Sadly, I was right. Read our full The Dog Stars movie review here!

THE DOG STARS is a movie that immediately reminded me of I Am Legend when I watched the trailer. Now, I happen to love that movie – yes, even if it will have me sobbing every single time I watch it – and this 2026 movie is nowhere near it. In fact, it’s a strange hybrid of elements from I Am Legend, the new 28 Years Later movies, and tidbits from various seasons of The Walking Dead.

No, The Dog Stars is not a zombie movie, but it is set in a post-apocalyptic world similar to the above titles.

However, unlike all of these productions, I never really felt the characters. They were simply too shallow, and the plot was extremely predictable. If you’re not familiar with many post-apocalyptic stories, then this may be brilliant for you. For me, it was lackluster, and so full of stereotypes (when it wasn’t also blatant racism) that I was longing for it to end.

And yes, I recognize that it’s based on a book, which I feel no need to read. Never a good sign!

Continue reading our The Dog Stars movie review below. Find it in theaters from August 28, 2026.

Welcome to Post-Apocalyptic Denver

The Dog Stars is the story of Hig (Jacob Elordi), and when we meet him, it’s a good decade after the superflu that caused the end of the world as we know it. And no, you will not get much more information than that, nor will you get many flashbacks to show us the world before. Something I feel was sorely missed, as we never really get to know any of the people or (more specifically) feel all that they have lost.

Now, Hig flies around in a Cessna to bring back supplies to the isolated homestead he shares with the military survivalist Bangley (Josh Brolin). How did the two meet and decide to team up? I don’t know, and neither will you after watching this movie. Apparently, we don’t need to know that.

We do find out that Hig got his beloved dog, Jasper, before the superflu apocalypse. This actually happens via a flashback, which isn’t done nearly as well as the original story this seems taken directly from: I Am Legend.

Also, as always, there is one thing I will spoil, and here it comes.

*Warning, warning: the one spoiler I will always give comes next.

Does the dog die in The Dog Stars?

Yes, the dog, Jasper, does die in The Dog Stars, which is hardly a spoiler if you know the book or, again, I Am Legend. Hell, I even expected it without knowing the book.

What I did not expect was how soon it happened, which made the impact much smaller. It’s always sad, but it was not a huge moment for me. As someone who is still mourning the loss of my own dog (I lost her more than a year ago), I was shocked that it felt so trivial to me.

Anyway, in The Dog Stars, this is what sets things in motion for Hig. Basically, he lost his wife before the apocalypse, so this was his catalyst instead. While flying, Hig comes across a mysterious radio transmission, so now he ventures out to search for the origin. Hoping for “the hope and humanity he still believes exist”.

What went wrong with this production?

Forgetting how good the book might be (or not be), or which issues may have needed to be resolved, there is no reason this movie adaptation couldn’t have been amazing. With the screenwriter behind The Revenant, Untamed, and American Primeval joining forces with the director of  Gladiator, Blade Runner, and Alien, surely all the pieces were there.

Not to mention the cast. Rarely have I seen the amazing Allison Janney more underutilized and with less screen time. Seriously, do not go to the bathroom during the movie at the wrong time, or you will entirely miss her performance. And yes, I liked her performance as a stand-alone experience. Within the overall tone of the movie? I didn’t entirely get it.

The same pretty much goes for Benedict Wong (3 Body Problem), though he is seen more than once.

The main star of The Dog Stars is Jacob Elordi, and he delivers exactly what I imagine was asked of him. He is great. His character and the overall plot and storyline? Not so much. The other key characters are portrayed by Josh Brolin (Weapons), Margaret Qualley (The Substance), and Guy Pearce (Sunrise). Again, they all deliver solid performances, but the movie as a whole just is not good.

Gender roles in the apocalypse

Also, what is up with Margaret Qualley‘s wardrobe?

Only booty shorts and tank tops made it through the apocalypse?

Strangely enough, the men are wearing long pants and shirts over T-shirts. Lucky razors are clearly still plentiful for those smooth legs. I joke, but it’s absolutely ridiculous at times. Jacob Elordi is practically fully clothed and in a down jacket that doubles as a sleeping bag, when she has to show up wearing the tiniest bit of fabric.

Also, another scene featuring The Men™ getting a little drink while she’s busy taking care of the farm, but it’s obvious that they are needed in this world. I would argue that the women in The Dog Stars are either stark raving mad or seen as wife material, which leaves them pretty one-dimensional. Then again, the men aren’t much better, as they are either gun-crazy or still believing in the good in people.

So, not much better. I suppose that’s some kind of equality.

The villains, however, are of a kind that either mirror Mexican drug cartel gang members (who also, seemingly, are never cold, being shirtless) or the sudden reinvigoration of Native American tribes. Crazy how that can happen in just nine years, but there you go.

Watch The Dog Stars in theaters

The Dog Stars is from director Ridley Scott, who has made several of my favorite movies. From Alien to Thelma & Louise (to highlight those with fierce female leads), and Blade Runner to Gladiator and The Martian. Of course, he has had some misses along the way as well. Depending on what you like, of course, but I truly did expect that The Dog Stars would be something right up my alley.

This post-apocalyptic survival thriller spends quite a lot of time feeling more like a drama (or romance even), which is then intersected with extremely bloody and violent scenes. Again, I have not read the book, but my understanding wasn’t that it played out quite the same way. The book is by author Peter Heller, while the adapted screenplay came from Mark L. Smith.

Now, admittedly, my biggest issue is with the storyline, and that was probably what I did not expect. Mark L. Smith has written some amazing screenplays. Including an actual slasher horror psychological thriller hybrid with the 2007 movie Vacancy. Also, he wrote the WWII zombie movie Overlord (2018) and the successful sequel Twisters (2024). Even another post-apocalyptic movie, The Midnight Sky (2020).

I do not know what happened with this movie, but I hope it will come out somehow. The cast is good, the premise intriguing (if not a little too familiar), and both the director and screenwriter have documented their talents. And yet, all I got from The Dog Stars was that it’s time to rewatch I Am Legend. I suggest you do the same and watch this when it’s on VOD.

The Dog Stars is out In Theaters from August 28, 2026.

Details

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Screenplay by: Mark L. Smith
Based Upon the Novel by: Peter Heller
Cast: Jacob Elordi, Josh Brolin, Margaret Qualley, Allison Janney, Benedict Wong, Guy Pearce