Before The Lord of the Rings trilogy, New Zealand was most commonly known around the world as that little country at the bottom of world maps while the more knowledgeable in a room may have known us for Sir Ed Hillary, the All Blacks, or winning the America’s Cup. But everything changed when The Lord of the Rings released with the trilogy's artistry and our landscapes putting New Zealand squarely on the international map with tourists flocking to our shores because of it. 

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While Heart of the Beast isn’t going to be the pop cultural zeitgeist of that classic trilogy, it is once again putting the spotlight on stunning New Zealand landscapes and world class Kiwi film making crews as well as being a stunner of a story. Showcasing some of the best New Zealand landscapes captured on film in years, Heart of the Beast is a rare film that takes its time telling a grounded story, anchored by a tremendous performance from Brad Pitt and Odin the dog. One of my favorite films this year.

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After a harrowing plane crash, Special Forces officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt) and his combat dog, Odin, find themselves stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Together, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements. From acclaimed filmmaker David Ayer, Heart of the Beast is an intense adventure thriller that explores the unbreakable bond between a man and his best friend as they face their greatest battle yet.

Heart of the Beast is the kind of movie that you don’t often see these days. A man against the elements, only a couple of actors in the film, and a Hollywood star anchoring it all. That alone should get you to the cinema to support it so that these kind of films continue to not only be made but also put up on the silver screen instead of straight to streaming. But what makes it even more of a winner is that its such a great film to boot.

The story is rich with narrative space allowing us to get to know James, Odin, and their journey, soaking in the beauty of them taking their time setting up camp and enjoying the wilderness together. And then as mishap after mishap occurs, it doesn’t feel like the filmmakers are embellishing - making it overly dramatic or giving James a narrative helping hand. Every moment feels earned and grounded in reality which adds to the authentic sense of the film that this could be a story that truly happened in real life.

Brad Pitt literally carries this film in a role that demands so much of him in that for the majority of it he doesn’t have a human scene partner. And through all of that he doesn’t overplay his hand - he sticks true to the character of James, his life and backstory, and gives one of his most memorable performances in recent memory.

Showcasing some of the best New Zealand landscapes captured on film in years, Heart of the Beast is a rare film that takes its time telling a grounded story, anchored by a tremendous performance from Brad Pitt and Odin the dog. One of my favorite films this year.