The Dog Stars (MA) – 118 minutes

Jacob Elordi’s star continues to rise in the dystopian thriller The Dog Stars.

Playing opposite another imposing leading man in Josh Brolin, I felt like I was watching an acting masterclass.

We are in Erie, Colorado, near a mountain range on the south side of Denver.

A deadly flu outbreak has claimed the majority of the Earth’s population.

Among those that made it through, many are affected by a crippling blood disease.

Now, the few survivors are forced to confront the harsh realities of a bleak future in a post-apocalyptic land, where marauders are ready to strike at any moment.

Young pilot Hig (Elordi), a former mechanic, and hardnosed military survivalist Bangley (Josh Brolin), have set themselves up near a deserted airstrip.

With his eyes always peeled, Bangley is comfortable in the existence they have carved out. 

Hig is not. Having lost his wife, who was pregnant when she succumbed, he is keen to move on.

As it is, he frequently goes on scouting missions in his light plane with his beloved dog Jasper.

He regularly delivers supplies to a nearby Mennonite community, while searching for anyone who remains uninfected.

Receiving mysterious, hash affected radio transmissions, when he decides to break with Bangley, he makes a beeline for Grand Junction.

Instead, he is forced to land his Cessna near an isolated canyon home belonging to Pops (Guy Pearce), who harbours a deep distrust of outsiders.

So it is that the latter is wary, watchful and unyielding. Pops lives there with his daughter Cima (Margaret Qualley).

Like Hig, she too has suffered grave personal loss, but the former trainee doctor carries the survival instinct without having lost her gentleness.

She effortlessly offers Hig not just kindness, but the first genuine connection he has felt in years.

But further perils awaits all of them, including a bizarre confrontation in Grand Junction.

Written by Mark L. Smith (The Revenant), The Dog Stars is based upon the 2012 novel of that name by Peter Heller. 

Skilfully directed by Ridley Scott (The Martian), it is a compelling watch thanks to the left of centre plotting and a series of fine performances.

Elordi is intoxicating as the emotionally wounded, but purposeful Hig, who brings a can-do attitude to bear.

Brolin is hard as nails as the uncompromising, battle-hardened and most adept veteran.

Pearce generates a surly countenance as Pops, while the greatest warmth in the film comes from Qualley as his daughter.

Allison Janney brings an element of surprise to her persona as an eccentric former stewardess.

Before the film is over, it will take quite a sinister turn, which serves to ramp up the action.

Visually, The Dog Stars is striking, with some awesome aerial cinematography of the natural landscape captured by Erik Messerschmidt (Mank).

It was shot entirely on location in different parts of Italy, which stood in for the post-apocalyptic views of Colorado.

That included the jagged mountain ranges of the Italian Alps.

I was drawn in and yearned to learn more as The Dog Stars developed.

Rated M, it scores a 7½ out of 10.