As someone who watches and reviews a lot of movies, I like to think that my need to remain analytical tends to numb my emotional response. Heart of the Beast quashed that hare-brained notion. While I usually linger to read through the credits and look out for post-credit scenes, on this occasion, I stayed because I needed to regain my composure before heading out to the masses and potentially running into the movie’s PR agent. Even as I type this review, I’ve found myself choking up, recalling the various moments in the movie.
Heart of the Beast is centred on army veteran James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his combat dog, Odin (Uber). After years of serving on the frontline, they spend their days camping in the wilderness enjoying each other’s company. This might sound like an idyllic retirement but the reality isn’t as serene.
Movies involving war veterans might show their protagonists with varying degrees of post-traumatic stress disorder. Heart of the Beast offers a different perspective, showing the effects of war on service animals. In this case, Odin gets recurring nightmares revolving around the sounds of gunshots and helicopters. So while Odin spends his days standing guard, when the demons visit at night, Belmont takes over the protective role, comforting him whenever he starts whimpering and howling.
It is this symbiotic bond that carries the pair through their mission in this film. After Belmont loses control of his light plane, the duo finds themselves stranded in the Alaskan wilderness. They have no choice but to hike their way back to civilisation.
To say that this journey is fraught with difficulty is an understatement. The severity of the task at hand is cleverly amplified by the generous shots of the expanse – both breathtaking and eerily untouched. Belmont and Odin are traversing rugged, unforgiving territory and we wince as we take this journey with them. One particularly jarring scene sees them trekking through deep mud, which immediately reminds us of THAT scene in The Neverending Story involving Artax and The Swamp of Sadness.
Heart of the Beast does well to deliver an intense, heart-tugging storyline. Even though Belmont is portrayed as a hardened individual who has no interest in interacting with other people, you can see the genuine love he has for his dog. He has conversations with Odin over dinner. As a former working combat dog, Odin requires consistent physical and mental stimulation, so even when he is tired, Belmont pushes himself to “train” Odin to save him from going stir-crazy from inactivity. So even if Belmont is not outwardly affectionate, we know he wants the best for his best friend.
Similarly, the crew have done well to capture the expression in Odin’s face throughout the movie. You can almost hear his thoughts and feel his emotions each time the camera pans to a close up shot of him. One look at his eyes and you’re convinced of his soul.
As the duo encounters every obstacle imaginable, you can’t help but silently cheer them on. You want them to make it because you can’t imagine them existing as separate entities.
However, the dramatic crescendo is temporarily dampened by two questionable scenes – one involving a bear and another involving a pack of wolves. Both scenes appear to be CGI-generated to me; yet the visuals aren’t the only thing that felt unrealistic.
The predatory nature of these encounters seems implausible and a figment of dramatic license. In one particular scene, we see Belmont and Odin by a stream in the middle of a plain. Suddenly, a bear charges towards them and they face a tense stand off. There is no food involved, there are no cubs around, and this certainly isn’t a case of the duo startling a bear. This bear literally came out of nowhere and bulldozed my emotional investment in the duo’s journey.
While I understand the need to create an eventful journey, I was already rooting for the duo’s uphill battle. These scenes didn’t add anything; instead, they detracted from the intensity of the storyline.
Thankfully, the storyline does regain its footing and we’re back to feeling for Belmont, who at this point is probably the unluckiest survivalist alive. You would think that the journey would feel monotonous, especially because there’s hardly any dialogue in this movie, but the balanced mix of landscape shots, heart-racing twists and tender moments between man and dog helps keep a nice rhythm going.
The piece-de-resistance though is the final act. It reminds me of this often-memed/quoted saying:
“A dog may only be part of your life, but to them, you’re their whole world” – source unknown.
Heart of the Beast flips the script and convinces us that Odin is indeed the centre of Belmont’s universe. While we see Belmont put Odin’s needs first on many occasions, his facade truly cracks in the last scene and the depth of his love is ultimately revealed. It is not a flash flood of emotions but a sustained swell, sneakily building in the final few minutes of the movie.
And with that, I, along with a theatre full of captivated viewers, gasped, sobbed and teared. Despite the fumbles with CGI, Heart of the Beast is ultimately a touching tribute to the bonds handlers have with their working dogs. A bond that may have been initially forged through necessity but solidified by a relationship of trust, respect and love.
Since you can’t bring your four legged friends to the cinema for emotional support, I highly recommend ample tissues.
Heart of the Beast opens in cinemas on 24th September.