--- title: "Heart of the Beast: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/heart-of-the-beast/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/heart-of-the-beast" critics_score: 64 critics_reviews: 19 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Heart of the Beast (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 64 from 19 reviews: 9 positive, 6 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews lean positive on Heart of the Beast, with praise concentrated on the bond between Brad Pitt and Odin rather than the survival story’s originality. Critics repeatedly single out the dog’s expressive performance, while several find Pitt’s stoicism and vulnerability affecting. The quieter exchanges earn particular approval for making the pair’s loyalty convincing. Admirers also credit the landscapes and efficient staging with sustaining tension through a familiar adventure. The spread is wide, however, and the central disagreement concerns how much that relationship can carry. Deadline finds the bond profoundly moving; Vulture finds that the dog’s charisma cannot compensate for a thin protagonist and a lack of urgency. Elsewhere, reservations cluster around predictable obstacles, sentimentality and military reverence. The craft divides opinion too: some reviews praise the score, while others find it overbearing. Even several favourable notices acknowledge contrivances, suggesting stronger agreement about the performances than the storytelling. ## The Hollywood Reporter — Frank Scheck Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. Scheck calls the film a deeply moving love story and says it packs a surprising emotional punch. He especially praises the tender, palpable bond between Pitt and Odin, and the dog’s expressive performance. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/heart-of-the-beast-review-brad-pitt-david-ayer-1236706924/) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. Gleiberman calls the film a stirring, well-crafted survival saga with an old-school, wholesome spirit. He especially praises the affecting performances by Brad Pitt and the dog playing Odin. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/heart-of-the-beast-review-brad-pitt-1236870505/) ## Empire — Olly Richards Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. Richards finds it a satisfying, emotionally earned survival adventure. He praises the convincing bond between Pitt and the dog, which keeps the tension high. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/heart-of-the-beast/) ## The Observer — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2026. Ide finds the survival adventure stirring and unexpectedly moving, despite some flaws and contrivances. She praises the expressive dog performance and Pitt’s compelling, stoic turn. [Read the review](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/heart-of-the-beast-brad-pitt-and-his-combat-dog-battle-the-elements) ## IndieWire — Ryan Lattanzio Rating B-. 22 September 2026. Lattanzio finds the survival thriller compelling despite its eventual turn toward military agitprop. He praises its intimate focus and the palpable bond between Pitt and the dog. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/heart-of-the-beast-review-brad-pitt-dog-1235218003/) ## Sight and Sound — BFI Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2026. The critic finds the survival thriller efficiently and often bracingly executed, though its existential themes are muted by generic action and overbearing music. Odin’s expressive reactions and the quieter moments, where his breathing stands out in the sound design, earn particular praise. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/heart-beast-bracingly-executed-man-dog-survival-story) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. Bradshaw finds the adventure entertaining but cheesy, with a finale that strains credulity. He praises its bittersweet portrayal of the bond between a lonely man and his dog. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/sep/22/heart-of-the-beast-review-brad-pitt-survivalist-dogmance-serves-up-wilderness-with-side-of-cheese) ## RogerEbert.com Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No specific praise or complaint could be verified. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/heart-of-the-beast-brad-pitt-dog-film-review-2026) ## Radio Times — Alex Berry Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. The review presents the survival tale as modest but worthwhile rather than especially ambitious. It praises the dog’s performance while noting the script is sparse. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-heart-of-the-beast-review/) ## Time Out — Stephen A Russell Rating 3/5. 21 September 2026. The review calls the film solid but unspectacular. It singles out the dog’s role in guiding Brad Pitt through the Alaskan wilderness. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/heart-of-the-beast-review-2026) ## The AV Club — Jacob Oller Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 25 September 2026. Oller finds the film intermittently tender but ultimately bland and overreliant on familiar masculine survival drama. He praises the sweeping landscapes and the scene-stealing, convincingly natural dog performance. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/heart-of-the-beast-review-brad-pitt-and-a-dog-survival-thriller) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 24 September 2026. Walsh finds the film predictable and cinematically mixed, with relentless misery that leaves little room for suspense or levity. She praises Odin’s performance, saying the dogs’ screen presence and expressive portrayal outshine Brad Pitt. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-09-24/heart-of-beast-review-brad-pitt-uber-david-ayer-j-k-simmons) ## Vulture — Alison Willmore Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 24 September 2026. Willmore finds the film inert and blandly devoted to military service. She faults its thinly drawn protagonist and says the dog’s charisma cannot provide enough urgency or substance. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-heart-of-the-beast-is-bland-troopaganda.html) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 95/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. Hammond gives the film an intensely positive verdict, calling it moving and emotionally unforgettable. He singles out the bond between Pitt and Odin, especially the performances that make their loyalty feel profound. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2026/09/heart-of-the-beast-review-brad-pitt-german-shepherd-survive-1237109761/) ## HeyUGuys Rating 4/5. The critic finds it a skillfully executed, conventional survival thriller with genuine warmth. They especially praise the emotional bond between Belmont and Odin, alongside the cinematography and score. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/heart-of-the-beast-review/) ## The Skinny — Philip Concannon Rating ★★★★. 7 October 2026. The critic finds the survival thriller compelling and emotionally affecting, despite a late turn toward sentimentality. Pitt’s vulnerable performance and his tangible chemistry with the dog are singled out as the film’s heart and soul. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/heart-of-the-beast) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 22 September 2026. The critic finds the survival drama functional and emotionally effective, though uneven and sometimes merely an obstacle course. They single out the affectionate bond between James and Odin, and the editing that makes the dog’s performance feel more expressive. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/heart-of-the-beast-review-brad-pitt-david-ayer/) ## The Playlist — Carlos Aguilar Rating C+. 22 September 2026. Aguilar finds the survival drama consistently entertaining and moving, though it leans too heavily on sentiment and military reverence. He praises the bond between James and Odin and the breathtaking Alaskan landscapes, while faulting clichéd flashbacks and James’s thin characterization. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/heart-of-the-beast-review-brad-pitt-david-ayer-20260922/) ## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 23 September 2026. The critic finds the film predictable, clichéd, and overly sentimental. Odin’s soulful performance is the main draw, while CGI animals and a syrupy score weaken the experience. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/heart-of-the-beast-2026-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/heart-of-the-beast.md