If there’s one thing David Ayer loves, it’s making a movie about dudes getting put through the absolute wringer and sticking together no matter what. Think Brian and Mike in End Of Watch, Wardaddy and the Sherman tank crew in Fury, and, er, Det. Ward and Jakoby in Bright. For his latest movie, Heart Of The Beast, Ayer is offering up another meditation on the theme, this time reteaming with Brad Pitt on an elemental survival thriller that pits a former Army Special Forces soldier (Pitt) and his beloved German Shepherd against the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. Check out the trailer below;
Okay, we’re going to need one of you dear readers to be on doesthedogdie.com alert for this one — we need assurances that our canine hero Odin is making it out of this one alive! Seriously, as we see in this first trailer for Heart Of The Beast, things are looking pretty rough for Odin and his human James (Pitt) here as they face the aftermath of a crash-landing in the Alaskan wilderness. Already both struggling from PTSD, the duo face precipitous river crossings, vertiginous climbs, and all manners of bears, wolves, and other beasts eyeing up a two-for-one meal here. Thankfully, we do at least know that James and Odin have got each others’ backs. James wastes no time telling J.K. Simmons’ character that he once shot a guy in the head for throwing a brick at his dog; and when James takes a tumble from an ill-advised log bridge, Odin is in there right away to stand/swim by his man.
The official synopsis for Heart Of The Beast — which also stars True Detective‘s Anna Lambe — reads: “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.”
We’ll find out whether Heart Of The Beast is the mutt’s nuts — or a bit of a dog’s dinner — when David Ayer’s latest hits cinemas in September. Personally, our early buzz for this one is through the woof. (Sorry, not sorry.)
