If you expected a post-apocalyptic action thriller filled with tension, fire, and action sequences, or a post-apocalyptic drama that deals with complex humanity, mirroring our current society with a complex backstory and world-building… Not really… A post-apocalyptic romance? Sure!
Written by Xiaoyi Wang
Ridley Scott (Gladiator) with a brand-new film featuring Jacob Elordi (Saltburn), Josh Brolin (Dune), Margaret Qualley (The Substance), and Guy Pearce (Memento)? This stellar cast and crew sure caught my eye. A post-apocalyptic action thriller with a dog? Say no more. Until… oh… for someone who has never read the original novel, I think something has gone terribly wrong with the marketing.
If you expected a post-apocalyptic action thriller filled with tension, fire, and action sequences, or a post-apocalyptic drama that deals with complex humanity, mirroring our current society with a complex backstory and world-building… Not really… A post-apocalyptic romance? Sure! There are a multitude of unreasonable moments that just completely derail you from the immersion. But somehow, between the stunning landscapes and score/sound, it was still an enjoyable experience, once you realize you should take a step back and get a flair for the cliché.
The story is set in Colorado; we are in the near future, where humanity has been quasi-wiped out by an unnamed virus. Hig (Elordi), an engineer, lives at an airfield in Erie with his dog Jasper and a former Marine, Bangley (Brolin). While Hig flies out with Jasper, Bangley takes care of supplying and securing the field. On some of their plane outings, Hig and Jasper would go into the city to see the new development of tribes and groups of survivors that were forming to slaughter and rob all that remained. They would pass by his old house, where he lived with his wife, whom he lost along with their unborn child. On their way back, they would drop by a Mennonite ranch led by Aaron (Benedict Wong, Weapons) to bring them some supplies and help out with any engineering; the children are more than overjoyed to see Jasper.
It is Hig’s hope to find a sanctuary of some sort; a journey that will eventually lead him to Cima (Qualley), the start of an act that changes the whole setup and tone of this post-apocalyptic film.
Overall, it is unfortunate that the characters are rather bland and one-sided; it is obvious that Hig is the nice and optimistic one, while Bangley is the "we follow the rules to survive" one who sees the situation for the cruel survivalist game it is.
The screenplay falls short, with seriously forced and predictable plots, alongside some awkwardly written, unnatural dialogue that weakens the foundation of the film. The editing is unreasonable at times, causing the pacing to feel flat and uneven, without any memorable plot points for the audience to hold onto after the film.
Despite it all, what really stands out is the cinematography. I don’t know if it’s because I have been deprived of nature recently, but seeing those soaring mountains, forests, and fields through the wonderful cinematography led by Erik Messerschmidt, with staggering colours, made the experience much more enjoyable. The grandeur of the landscape is genuinely astonishing to behold. By its side are the touching scores and meticulous sound design, which elevate the quiet flight scenes to a level worthy of their beauty.
The story feels straightforward, but not simple enough for the post-apocalyptic world to be only a setting. Nor is the story strong enough to reel you into a strong connection with the characters. The cinematography does most of the heavy lifting in that regard. With so little provided for the actors to work with, they did what they could. Even though their relationship is quite predictable, it is still pretty sweet to see Elordi and Qualley’s characters bond.
Maybe it all comes down to not bringing too many expectations into this film, especially with its misleading marketing. I still had a pleasant time with it; it isn’t worth the trouble of being frustrated by all its flaws when there are such beautiful mountains and skies on screen.
The Dog Stars is now playing in theatres
Comments
Post a Comment