It’s been a while since a truly mainstream “dog movie for everyone” has been released. Arguably not since the 90s gems that are Beethoven and Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (released in 1992 and 1993, respectively) has there truly been something to capture the hearts of viewers across generations. And, of all people, it’s director David Ayer—known for movies like Training Day, The Fast and the Furious and Suicide Squad—that has brought such a film to fruition (thanks to a script from Cameron Alexander, in his feature film debut). Working once again with Brad Pitt (the two previously collaborated on 2014’s Fury), who previously had a dog co-star (albeit to a far lesser extent) in 2001’s The Mexican and 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the familiarity between director and actor was just as important as the one developed between actor and dog during the filming. A shoot that was no easy task considering the adventure/survival genre at play.
To be sure, Mother Nature herself is a leading character in Heart of the Beast. From the moment the movie starts, the expansive vistas of the mountainous Alaskan wilderness (though it’s New Zealand standing in for that location), as shown while a Cessna Skywagon flies through and past them, there can be no doubt in the viewer’s mind that it’s going to be a wild ride. Literally. However, Ayer and Alexander take their time building toward that ride, conveying a kind of calm before the storm (also literally) in the first act of the movie, during which a retired command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Special Forces (a.k.a. the Green Berets), James Belmont, is doing his best to find peace and tranquility with his trusty companion/best friend, Odin a.k.a. “Odie.” A dog that’s actually played by four dogs: Uber, Hondo, Seeka and Ryker. The latter three are Uber’s progeny, and each brought their own specialty to the different demands of the role (thanks, in part, to the deft training skills of renowned animal trainer Andrew Simpson). Uber being the one with the most soulful, heart-wrenching facial expressions. Not to mention the fact that he already had a past as a search-and-rescue dog, which meant being accustomed to some of the same high-stress situations as Odin would have been, in addition to being no stranger to riding in an aircraft. Granted, as a former combat scouting dog, Odin was subjected to some far more traumatic sights than Uber. Indeed, it’s the shared trauma of their wartime tenure that bonds James and Odin so much more closely than the average human and dog, with Odin’s nightmares/flashbacks waking him up at night so that James has to console him in the tent he’s built underneath the stars.
This is among the moments of “calm” before James, after narrowly escaping a dangerous storm in his Cessna Skywagon, ends up suffering a heart attack right after making it through the rain and back into a clear, sunny sky. A metaphor for life itself. For, every time you think you’ve conquered one obstacle, another, even more harrowing one makes itself known with little reprieve in between. That message, as much as the one of pure love between dog and human, is one that shines through repeatedly. And as for the “love story” element, there’s a reason Pitt, throughout the promo interviews for the film, kept repeating the mantra that Heart of the Beast is a survival story and a love story. What’s more, it’s apparent that people often only manage to survive in such life-threatening conditions because of love. And, in this instance, deep friendship that transcends the supposed bounds of “species.”
To that point, at the premiere event for the movie in Franklin, Tennessee, J. K. Simmons, who plays Watkins (and, apart from Anna Lambe, is the only other human to appear in the movie besides Pitt), noted of the dynamic portrayed onscreen between James and Odin, “Greater love hath no man than this…” With the end of that Bible quote being, “…that a man lay down his life for his friends.” The film’s tagline in the trailer rephrases that adage as, “It’s not who you live for, it’s who you’d die for.” And the “who” doesn’t always necessarily mean a creature of your “own kind.” For it is so often the case that dogs are far more worth dying for than any human who wouldn’t lift a finger to help you. Nor are humans nearly as known for being as kind and considerate as dogs, who give so much in return for the basics of food and shelter they’re offered by humans.
Something Pitt riffed on by telling UK radio station Heart of working with a dog as his co-star, “It’s better than working with Clooney, I’ll say that for starters. Odin’s breath was a little better, and his acting skills a little sharper.” But, of course, it’s more than being less “beastly” than George Clooney that makes the chemistry between Uber and Pitt look so natural. It’s that Uber, like most dogs, is able to put his confidence and faith entirely into a human that shows consistent kindness (though Angelina Jolie might only feel that Uber was duped by Pitt’s charms). Like Pitt did by spending time with him before shooting even started to establish that “authentic” level of trust which would then translate onscreen (though it didn’t hurt the dynamic for Pitt to always have a tantalizing “Scooby snack” on hand to lure Uber back into the moment when he got distracted). As did Pitt’s real-life fear of heights for the now infamous “log crossing scene.” One that even the trailer shows plenty of spoilers for. Which is perhaps a testament to just how many nail-biting scenes there are to choose from in Heart of the Beast.
And as for that title, it’s apropos on a few levels. For not only does it have a certain dichotomy to it in the sense that “beasts” are viewed as essentially “heartless” creatures, but it also applies to humans as much as animals (since humans like to distinguish themselves from the latter even though they, too, fall into that category). To boot, the title also applies to Mother Nature herself, with Watkins warning James, “This region here’s the heart of the beast. Most folks learn that the hard way.” As James apparently must. Unfortunately, that means Odin must learn the hard way too. Because wherever James goes, that’s where Odin will be. Faithfully and steadfastly by his side in all circumstances, however dire. And that is certainly something that most humans would never do for “their own.” Which is one of the many ways that Heart of the Beast reemphasizes just how unworthy humans are of a dog’s love. Though there are some, like James, who truly do view it as “the great joy of their life” to be given the privilege of such love. It is this type of person, above all others, that will appreciate Heart of the Beast most. Though even the beastliest of hearts would be hard-pressed not to shed a tear during this movie.
+ There are no comments
Add yours