The Dog Stars (2026)

At 88, Scott returns to sci-fi with a bonkers film starring Jacob Elordi that puts on a starry show and leaves viewers yearning for more.

One of Ridley Scott’s most muted and tender films, redeemed by careful attention to characters and their shared grief rather than action; wobbly in execution with predictable elements but offers understated warmth.

The critic finds it a subdued but pleasingly soulful dystopian western, minor-key but arguably Scott's best since The Martian, an appealingly mellow watch.

The critic finds it a thoughtful rather than spectacular post-apocalyptic tale from Ridley Scott, praising the beautiful cinematography and performances but noting meandering pacing that dilutes tension.

Scott delivers an oddly blissful and watchable post-apocalyptic yarn focused on day-to-day survival and scenic flights, with a chummy lead quartet and some splattery action. It gestures toward hope but leans into carnage and convenient plotting.

Ridley Scott delivers a hopeful if bumpy post-collapse drama that is a surprisingly sensitive meditation on loss and compassion, but it stumbles with a cartoonish misstep involving Allison Janney that kills the mood.

Jacob Elordi plods through Ridley Scott’s uneven vision of post-apocalyptic America, which combines fear of marauders with an ode to organic farming and scenic vistas.

One of Scott's worst misfires and dullest movies, with bad special effects, janky editing, underdeveloped performances, and a messy narrative, though it has a thought-provoking thread on community versus isolation.

The critic finds the film too downbeat and familiar to make a lasting impression, with a narrative that fails to match its visual strengths. They single out the glorious aerial photography and Scott’s energetic direction for praise while noting confusing tone shifts and a lack of originality.

The first half holds attention with its mood of hesitant survival and character contrasts, but the film feels fundamentally hollow overall, with functional rather than awe-inspiring visuals that lack the aestheticism of Scott's earlier work.

The film is a bizarrely inert post-apocalypse movie that Jacob Elordi and Josh Brolin cannot save from near-disaster, curiously lacking in thrills.

The film is a limp and lethargic postapocalyptic survival tale that fails to find its footing amid overly familiar beats and a glum lack of energy. Scott appears disengaged, with stunning scenery undermined by insubstantial characters and janky effects.

Familiar to a fault, Ridley Scott’s postapocalyptic film finds the genre in need of new tricks and is hard to sit up and stay interested in. It is a lax adaptation whose best parts are its giddy, bloody action sequences.

A terrific cast led by Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley struggles to lift Ridley Scott’s contemplative dystopia out of the doldrums. The film feels more romantic than thrilling, with heartfelt but familiar hokum elements.

Ridley Scott’s low-energy latest is a dreary dystopian adventure in which even a charismatic quartet of actors muddles through trying circumstances. The film is surprisingly low-incident and lacks real characters to hold onto.

The critic finds the film an enjoyable post-apocalyptic drama elevated by its visuals and a surprising third-act twist into something closer to an instant classic. They single out the cinematography capturing the beauty of the Rockies and abandoned landscapes for particular praise.

The critic praises Jacob Elordi’s performance as a hopeful survivor in Ridley Scott’s post-apocalyptic thriller, highlighting strong character development and impressive action sequences alongside solid supporting turns from Josh Brolin and others. They single out the gorgeous cinematography and deliberate pacing as strengths in what feels like a classic Hollywood film.

The critic finds the film a post-apocalyptic bore hampered by a slow pace and an unengaging hero, despite some effective sequences and a good dog. They single out the familiar tropes and lack of momentum as major issues.