Despite positive first reactions, the reviews for Ridley Scott's new movie The Dog Stars have been less glowing. The post-apocalyptic movie starring Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin has debuted to a meagre 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is Scott's lowest score since Exodus: God and Kings in 2014.
Based on the novel of the same name by Peter Heller, The Dog Stars focuses on Hig, a former pilot navigating life after a flu pandemic has nearly eradicated humanity. When the prospect of a better life beckons, he teams up with former Marine Bangley to navigate the treacherous path to reach it.
The Guardian reviewer Benjamin Lee calls it a "misfire" in his two star review, writing: "In a world of seven Walking Dead shows, the beats are now far too familiar – artfully dishevelled actors grieve for the past and fear for the future as they scramble to find and protect resources – and there’s nothing new or notable here to conjure anything but deja vu."
"Four flu-pandemic survivors do the best they can in trying circumstances in Ridley Scott's low-energy latest, and the same goes for the charismatic quartet of actors muddling through it," adds Variety's Guy Lodge.
The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey gives the film two stars, calling out its derivative nature. "The veteran filmmaker has made a movie that rips off 28 Days Later, Mad Max, and the video game Fallout to dull ends," she writes.
Not all of the reviews are negative. Nick Howell of the Evening Standard writes: "So not quite a return to form, but for Scott, now 88, this strange flight of apocalyptic fancy proves there’s plenty of bite in the old dog yet."
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter calls it "pleasingly soulful" as their reviewer David Mooney writes: "Muted but never dull, The Dog Stars seems unlikely to land near the top of anyone’s Ridley Scott rankings. But it’s an appealingly mellow watch, even if that might seem antithetical to a post-apocalyptic drama positioned squarely in the shadow of death."
The Dog Stars is out now. For more upcoming movies, check out our list of movie release dates.
