Review: 'The Dog Stars' shows director Ridley Scott's action gifts remain strong, as Jacob Elordi is evolving into a leading man

It’s a reality film fans must face, that the director Ridley Scott, at age 88, will sooner rather than later make his last movie. I can’t say whether his 30th feature film, “The Dog Stars,” will be the last one — but I hope not, because this post-apocalyptic thriller has its moments, but it isn’t Scott’s best work.

Set in the year 2035, a few years after a virus has killed most of humankind, the film starts with Hig (Jacob Elordi), a bush pilot who has managed to survive through his skills as a mechanic He also has been trained by his friend, Bangley (Josh Brolin), a gruff survivalist who lives by the “shoot first, ask questions later” model to anyone who approaches the aircraft hangar they call home. 

His makes flights into the nearest city — which we learn is Denver — to scrounge supplies and steer clear of the Reapers, a maniacal cult that steals whatever it can find. Hig also visits the house where he used to live with his wife, Melissa (played in flashbacks by Sam Bennett). When in the air, Big sometimes hears radio calls out of Grand Junction, which becomes Hig’s symbol of a better and safer life.

At a certain point in the script — by “The Revenant” writer Mark L. Smith, adapted from Peter Heller’s novel — Hig decides he has to see if Grand Junction is real, and leaves Bangley alone to seek it out. He doesn’t get too far, when engine trouble forces a hard landing in a clearing. It’s there he meets a distrusting rancher, Pops (Guy Pearce), and his daughter, Cima (Margaret Qualley), a former medical resident. Hig repairs his plane and earns Pops’ trust, and the three work together to clear the meadow so Hig can take off again.

Parts of Smith’s script work better than others — and the finale, which covers the mythical Grand Junction and features Allison Janney in an odd role, is the part that’s the least successful. Smith’s script takes some interesting detours in parts, but that ending pulls the movie right off the map.

Still, there are smaller joys in Scott’s direction, which is unfussy and straightforward, and reminiscent of Nia DaCosta’s work in the similarly structured “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.” And Scott is a good guide for Elordi, who’s coming off his Oscar-nominated performance in “Frankenstein” and continuing his evolution into the strong, silent leading-man roles he seems destined to play. 

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‘The Dog Stars’

★★★

Opens Friday, August 28, in theaters everywhere. Rated R for strong violence, and language. Running time: 118 minutes.