'Heart of the Beast' Review: Old Yeller meets The Revenant in Brad Pitt Survival Thriller
By Seb Jenkins - September 22, 2026
Brad Pitt may have his name on the poster, but Uber the dog is the real star of the show in this emotional story of man and beast.
It’s no surprise that Heart of the Beast was named on the 2017 Black List for the ‘most liked’ unproduced screenplays of the year. Cameron Alexander’s script may be a simple one, but it oozes raw heart and spirit from every page – much like the performance of Uber the dog. While more than capable in his role, Pitt could undoubtedly be lifted out and replaced with any number of talented, in-shape actors. Uber, on the other hand, is one of a kind. Even if you remove the gut-wrenching emotional punches, nail-biting edge-of-your-seat action, and beautifully immersive cinematography, Heart of the Beast is well worth seeing for the canine acting alone – the best you will ever see.
2026 may have been the year of the final girl, but isn’t there room for the goodest boy too?
When Special Forces veteran James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his retired combat dog Odin (Uber) crash-land in the Alaskan wilderness, they face a treacherous 58-mile trek back to civilisation, riddled with harsh terrain, wild animals, and gruelling weather. As James battles injuries from the plane crash and amputee Odin endures PTSD nightmares from the war, only the unbreakable bond of a man and his dog could ever hope to survive.
Exactly 12 months after we were treated to Good Boy – a haunted house horror told through the eyes of a dog – we have another superb canine-driven film to enjoy. Much like Good Boy, Heart of the Beast focuses on the unwavering, unconditional love a dog has for their owner. Belmont’s own overflowing adoration for Odin comes with subtle, underlying guilt. “All I have ever shown him is war, and all he has ever shown me is love.” Despite losing his leg in battle, despite suffering from regular PTSD nightmares, and despite crash-landing in the middle of Alaska, Odin never once questions his allegiance. His duty is to get his human back home, safe and sound.
It beggars belief how they are able to get such a rich performance out of a canine actor. From the intense action sequences to whines, growls, and barks, you'd be forgiven for assuming Uber was the lifelong pet of Brad Pitt himself. A film like this lives and dies by the believability of that bond, and as Odin earnestly guards Belmont while he sleeps, we don't question it for a second.
While only four characters are officially listed in Heart of the Beast, there is a fifth worthy of mention – the Alaskan wilderness itself. David Ayer does a fantastic job of projecting the sheer isolation of the landscape throughout the film, whether it be vast, lifeless spaces, suffocating, dense woodland, or rip-roaring rivers that threaten to drag us into the depths. A cameo from the ever-wonderful J.K. Simmons not only provides vital exposition and a moment of levity, but it also puts the sheer remoteness of the situation into context. The only person Belmont and Odin cross paths with is a survivalist who had to reach them by canoe. That means no emergency services. No hospitals. No helicopter rescues. Just a man and his dog against it all.
Ayer does a wonderful job of pacing Heart of the Beast from start to finish. Sure, you can predict all the beats of what is likely to happen, but it somehow doesn’t detract from the journey itself. Something about the undeniable bond between Belmont and Odin keeps you hooked. Like a German Shepherd with its teeth sunk into a bite sleeve, it won’t let you go. So, if you’re looking for the loyalty of Old Yeller and the wilderness drama of The Revenant, look no further! And no, sorry, we can’t tell you if the dog lives or dies! But Heart of the Beast is well worth finding out.
'Heart of the Beast' releases in cinemas on September 25, 2026.
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Seb Jenkins
Writer
A freelance writer, day-to-day Seb covers stories about his beloved Tottenham Hotspur, while coming up with wacky ideas for thriller novels.
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