If a virus ever wipes out 99 percent of humanity, you’re gonna want Jacob Elordi’s character from “The Dog Stars” nearby.
He’s a trained mechanic who can fix just about anything, a handy friend in a post-apocalyptic world. Oh, and he’s a first-class pilot.
It’s one of several nagging elements behind director Ridley Scott’s new film. The ageless auteur has crafted several killer scenes en route to a finale with not one but two head-scratching twists.
Elordi plays Hig, a resourceful type who teams with the dour Bangley (Josh Brolin in full grizzled mode) to stay alive after a rampaging virus. Together, they keep their land free of “roaches” (humans looking to swipe their precious resources) and swap benign banter.
Bangley is a natural loner, while Hig can’t stop thinking of his old life, one with a very pregnant wife and their beloved pup Jasper.
Hig keeps their supplies stocked by taking regular flights into a nearby town. It’s a life, albeit barely one, so Hig plots a longer trip to see if he can find other survivors. He’s tormented by scratchy radio transmissions suggesting they’re not as alone as they thought.
He eventually meets a father and daughter duo (Guy Pearce, Margaret Qualley) who allow him to tap his heart, not just his tools.
Survival is still the name of the game, and new threats keep nibbling around the film’s corners.
Post-apocalyptic thrillers fascinate with their survival tactics. For Hig, it’s almost too easy to stay ahead of society’s collapse. He doesn’t blink even after his plane’s wing is damaged in a freak accident.
MacGyver wasn’t this cocksure.
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“The Dog Stars,” based on the book by Peter Heller, gets into trouble whenever Scott’s lean and mean instincts flare up. He’s delivered his fair share of bravura action beats, but this story thrives on a more modest scale.
What does it mean to survive? What would you sacrifice for the chance to reclaim a fraction of your old life? Can we truly live without human companionship?
It’s fine that “The Dog Stars” indulges in frantic battles, but the muscular moments don’t gel with the rest of the story. It’s rare for a veteran like Scott to lose control of a film’s sense of proportion.
Case in point: Pearce’s character puts his daughter in harm’s way after suggesting that’s the very last thing he’d do. Why? It’ll make a better chase scene, most likely.
Scott’s latest holds our interest, for the most part, until the bewildering third act. Our heroes encounter a group of fellow survivors, a tense exchange that feels airlifted in from a Bong Joon Ho flick. The sequence’s lazy, anti-religious messaging is the icing on the rancid cake.
Before you can process the sequence, the story lumbers to a conclusion that isn’t remotely earned. We’re also treated to a few laugh-out-loud moments that aren’t intended as comic relief.
At least, we hope not.
Elordi commands the screen with his good looks and towering presence, but he isn’t always committed to the part. Blame the young actor or Mark L. Smith’s scattershot screenplay, the latter leaving the star stranded on more than one occasion.
We also know too little about the feral groups stalking the lands. Here’s betting the book offered more nuance and context than we get here. That isn’t saying much, though.
Audiences can meet “The Dog Stars” half way, appreciating a rising talent like Elordi while wondering how we might fare in this brave new world.
Instead, we scratch our heads at a saga that grabs our attention but keeps taking genre detours.
HiT or Miss: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Genre: Post-apocalyptic thriller
Runtime: 1h 57 minutes
Where to Watch: Theaters (Aug. 28)
Family Friendly? No. Adult language, graphic violence, bloodshed and mature themes