Ahead of its release, David Ayer’s new movie, Heart of the Beast, is being lauded by critics. The adventure movie starring Brad Pitt releases this Friday, Sep. 25.
Heart of the Beast currently has a 96% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, with 25 verified reviews. This is the second collaboration between Ayers and Pitt after the 2014 war movie Fury. The director and actor reunited to tell the story of a retired Special Forces veteran and his traumatized combat dog.
What Is Heart of the Beast About?
Heart of the Beast, written and directed by Ayer, stars Pitt alongside J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man), Anna Lambe (The Grizzlies), and a German Shepherd named Uber, playing Odin. While the movie was in production, Ayer called Heart of the Beast a “classic old-school adventure movie” inspired by classic Hollywood thrillers.
Heart of the Beast stars Pitt as James Belmont, a retired Army Special Forces veteran. After a plane crash, James must travel the Alaskan wilderness with his traumatized military combat dog, Odin. With no rescue coming, the pair must trek through the treacherous terrain to safety, encountering dangerous wildlife and life-threatening obstacles that force them both to relive their shared trauma.
Critics Are Loving Heart of the Beast
With a 96% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, Heart of the Beast is certified fresh, and critics have had mainly good things to say. Frank Scheck at The Hollywood Reporter wrote, “Don’t be fooled. Heart of the Beast is actually a love story, and one of the most moving to come along in a long time. That it’s a love story between a man and his dog doesn’t at all detract from its emotional impact.”
At IndieWire, Ryan Lattanzio wrote, “The visible, palpable, real bond between James and Odin (and then, of course, Pitt and Uber) would take a heart of stone not to be touched by.” And Alexander Zalben at Comic Book Club said, “Heart of the Beast has plenty of soul and a Very Good Boy at its center.”
Some reviewers found the movie enjoyable, if predictable. At CBR’s sister site, Screen Rant, reviewer Alex Harrison wrote, “The result is a story that, once it really gets going, becomes and stays involving, eventually reaching an emotional crescendo that still hits hard even if you can see it coming from a mile away. Heart of the Beast doesn’t have many surprises up its sleeve, but you will certainly get what you came for.”
And Lindsey Bahr at the Associated Press wrote, “It never strays far from the formula, but while often predictable, occasionally implausible and sometimes even straight propaganda, it’s an effectively thrilling adventure and Pitt can shed a tear (actually, many) like the best of them.”
Heart of the Beast comes out in theaters on Sep. 25.
- Release Date
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September 25, 2026
- Runtime
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101 Minutes
- Director
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David Ayer
