Brad Pitt’s survival thriller Heart of the Beast has been given four stars, while a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility has received two stars in contrasting film reviews.
Directed by David Ayer, Heart of the Beast follows James Belmont, a retired Special Forces soldier, and Odin, his highly trained German shepherd, as they attempt to survive in the Alaskan wilderness.
The pair served together in war and are both troubled by memories of their military past. Odin, played by a dog called Uber, has a prosthetic leg after losing one in action.
James travels to the remote region in search of solitude and salmon fishing, but his plans are disrupted by the arrival of a talkative adventurer, played by J.K. Simmons.
The film’s main threat, however, is the unforgiving landscape. Storms, bears, wolves and fast-flowing rivers all stand between James and safety after he suffers a heart attack while piloting his plane.
With the aircraft destroyed, he must make his way 58 miles back to civilisation. His equipment is limited to Odin, a makeshift spear, basic surgical skills and his own determination.
The review praises the film’s scenery and striking camerawork, while acknowledging that its straightforward story depends largely on the bond between the former soldier and his dog.
Pitt is described as well suited to the rugged role, but the strongest performance comes from Uber. The German shepherd is praised as the film’s standout star, carrying much of its emotional appeal.
Sense and Sensibility adaptation receives two-star verdict
Georgia Oakley’s Sense and Sensibility, written by Diana Reid, is judged less successful. The film revisits Austen’s novel more than three decades after Ang Lee’s acclaimed version, which starred Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.
Daisy Edgar-Jones plays the sensible Elinor Dashwood, while Esme Creed-Miles portrays her more impulsive sister Marianne. George MacKay appears as Edward Ferrars, Frank Dillane as John Willoughby and Herbert Nordrum as Colonel Brandon.
The review argues that the attempt to make Austen’s story feel more relevant to a modern audience strips away too much of its restraint and subtlety.
Elinor’s feelings for Edward are considered too plainly signposted, when they should be far less apparent than Marianne’s openly expressed longing for the charming but unreliable Willoughby.
The casting of Nordrum, a Norwegian actor with a slight Scandinavian accent, as the quintessentially English Colonel Brandon is also questioned.
Despite those criticisms, the film is described as visually impressive, with interiors resembling Old Master paintings. Fiona Shaw is singled out for a lively performance as the wealthy and vulgar Mrs Jennings.
Those strengths, however, are not considered enough to give the new Sense and Sensibility a lasting place in the memory, leaving it with two stars compared with Heart of the Beast’s four.
