HEART OF THE BEAST : Tuesday 29th September 2026

I saw the M Rated 'HEART OF THE BEAST' earlier this week, and this American survival thriller film is Co-Produced and Directed by David Ayer who made his feature film Directorial debut with 'Harsh Times' in 2005, and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Street Kings' in 2008, 'End of Watch' in 2012, 'Fury' in 2014, 'Suicide Squad' in 2016, 'Bright' in 2017, 'The Beekeeper' in 2024 and 'A Working Man' in 2025. This film was released in Australia and the US last week, having been shown out of competition at the recent San Sebastian International Film Festival on 22nd September, has garnered generally positive critical reviews and has so far grossed US$56M from its US$82M production budget. 

The film opens up with what appears to be a stray German Shepherd dog stood in the middle of a deserted road somewhere in Alaska on a bright sunny day. A young woman (Anna Lambe) pulls up close by in her Ford pick-up truck, gets out of the car and walks gingerly toward the still motionless canine, looking on at the approaching woman. We then back track one week to a light sea plane flying high above the Alaskan mountain tops and glaciers, piloted by former Special Forces Officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt, who also Co-Produces here) and his retired combat dog Odin (Uber). Eventually, Belmont lands their plane on a remote lake, and sets up camp for the night. Both retired veterans suffer from PTSD and vivid nightmares from their time spent in combat missions in the world's more volatile hot spots. 

The next day, while out exploring the surrounding forest, Belmont cautiously encounters Watkins (J.K. Simmons), an outgoing stranger. They strike up, at first, an uneasy conversation, and Watkins sets up camp next to Belmont and they talk into the night around a camp fire and knocking back a few Belgian beers, about how they all came to be in this remote part of the world, and what they did in their past lives. The next morning, Watkins departs at day break in his kayak, and leaves Belmont a book in exchange for a beer he had taken from the camp overnight, highlighting a particular passage. 

Later that same morning, and with a storm closing in Belmont and Odin pack up and depart by plane, and flying above the clouds to get out of the storm front. Mid-flight however, Belmont suffers a heart attack and collapses unconscious at the controls, and losing altitude the plane descends rapidly into a heavily wooded forest and crashes into a lake coming to rest upside down in about five metres of water. Odin is ejected from the Cessna Skywagon plane during the crash. Belmont swims free to the nearby lake shore and goes in search of Odin, finding him nearby, weak but still alive. He returns to the wreckage and dives down to salvage his gear. After a day or so Odin's condition improves, and so the pair set out on foot to hike back to the nearest road and hence civilisation, which is about 58 miles away, according to Belmont's calculations.

During their journey, they are confronted by a huge grizzly bear, which Odin faces down until it retreats. They later reach a precarious moss covered wooden bridge like structure made up of two long fallen trees that spans a valley with a fast flowing river below. Belmont slips and Odin has to be swung to safety, but in doing so Belmont falls into the rapids below, and being carried downstream he sustains various knocks to his head and gets his arm wedged between rocks and breaking it. Odin chases Belmont as he is carried downstream, and when he reaches calmer waters, Odin drags him to shore, then helps him reset the compound fracture to his lower arm. Using the First Aid kit that Odin carries with him in a vest, Belmont bandages himself up and places his injured arm in a sling. 

Continuing their hike back to the road, they come to a clearing in the forest and in the near distance, they spot a pack of grey wolves attacking a moose calf, so they decide to retreat, and take the long way round to avoid alerting the wolves of their presence. However, the pair are subsequently stalked and then ambushed by the pack of wolves. Belmont attempts to fend off the attack using a spear and a hunting knife, while Odin attacks the wolves, although Belmont is pulled in all directions by three attacking wolves and is severely bitten in the stomach, but in the process he kills the alpha male. Belmont then patches up his stomach wound again using the First Aid kit, and continues onward. They reach a swamp which they must wade through to get to the road that lies in the distance beyond. Suffering from two serious wounds, Belmont becomes trapped under a downed tree truck in the brown murky water, but emerges the other side gasping for air. 

Weakened and unable to continue, they come to rest on a rocky outcrop. Belmont writes a note recording his final wishes for Odin, along with an account of their ordeal, and clear instructions that Odin suffers PTSD, his eating habits, his favourite games, and the commands that he responds to, but warning never to say the word 'bite' unless in the event of an emergency or if you should be in danger, for Odin, it was revealed early on, has titanium teeth thanks to an insurgent hurling a brick at Odin during his active duty and which took his teeth out. Belmont shot that insurgent in the head. Belmont also leaves the rest of his money for whoever takes Odin in, and says not to come looking for his body as he has given himself up to the wilderness. Belmont bleeds out from his wounds overnight and dies and Odin stays with him until the morning. Odin leaves his side and reaches the nearby road, where he is found by the young woman in the Ford pick-up truck, who reads Belmont's note. She embraces him, and he jumps in the vehicle and the pair drive off together. 

In a pre-credits scroll, we are told that some three thousand combat dogs served in active duty in modern times and helped save thousands of soldiers lives. Upon retirement those dogs are rehomed with caring and loving families. 

In crafting 'Heart of the Beast' Director David Ayer has given us perhaps his most pared back movie yet. Beautifully and astutely filmed in and around Queenstown, South Island, New Zealand standing in for the Alaskan wilderness, this film has tense and exciting set pieces, paired with moments of real tenderness and emotion that shows the very real bond that exists between man and his canine best friend. Two battle hardened souls that have witnessed the worst man can do and the best that man can do too, and who just want to spend their lives together in peace, quiet and as far away from those war torn locations as possible. Brad Pitt delivers a compelling performance, but this film belongs to Uber, who deserves a Best Actor nomination at the 2027 Academy Awards or at least the Palm Dog Award at next years Cannes Film Festival. Bring a pack of Kleenex tissues, because the ending is a real tear jerker, and for dog owners everywhere, you'll understand why. 

'Heart of the Beast' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 24th September 2026

This years 23rd Reykjavic International Film Festival (RIFF) runs from Thursday 24th September through until Sunday 4th October in Iceland's capital city of Reykjavic. It is one of the largest and most diverse cultural events in Iceland, and is an independent and non-profit festival. For eleven days every Autumn, Icelanders flock to the cinema to see the best and freshest in international filmmaking. Furthermore, guests are invited to engage in discussions with Directors about their works, attend seminars, lectures, concerts and art exhibitions, and watch films under unconventional conditions including its signature Swim-in Cinema, Cave Cinema and Drive-In Cinema experiences. RIFF is also a significant platform for Icelandic filmmakers to showcase their works to the world. Many foreign journalists and industry professionals attend the festival annually, and their interest in Icelandic films is evident. The festival strives to feature the past year’s productions, premiere the latest films, and elevate Icelandic short filmmaking. At RIFF, the belief is that cinema can change the world. Documentaries are increasingly prominent in the festival programme, and feature films that particularly address human rights, quality of life, and environmental issues are given substantial space . . . . . so reads the official website.

The Opening Film presentation is 'The Last First : Winter K2', Directed by Amir Bar-Lev, and this American documentary film tells the gripping, harrowing and moving story of the historic winter attempt on K2 (the second highest mountain on Earth), centred on Icelandic mountaineer John Snorri Sigurjonsson, who tragically lost his life on the mountain in 2021. 

In New Visions film category, new filmmakers take to the stage with their first or second film and compete for RIFF’s highest award - the Golden Puffin. Here, new and bold voices in film are heard - works that challenge tradition, play with form and point the way to the future of storytelling on the big screen. From unconventional storytelling methods to original subject matter - New Visions is the platform for new and fresh artists. There are nine films competing for the Golden Puffin award, as detailed in brief below :-

* 'Adult Supervision' - from Sweden, and Directed by Alex Schulman. When three fathers chaperone their teenage daughters on a rowdy school trip to a remote island, tensions quickly escalate and their grip on the situation begins to slip. As buried memories resurface, games turn into power struggles, and power into violence. Soon no one can tell who is in charge, and who is in danger?

* 'Chronovisor' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Jack Auen and Kevin Walker. An armchair mystery in which the life of a reclusive academic collides with the story of a clandestine technology that can photograph the past. Icelandic Premiere.

* 'Club Kid' - from the USA and Directed by Jordan Firstman. A hard-partying New York City club promoter sees his whirlwind lifestyle upended by the arrival of the ten-year-old son he never knew he had.

* 'Congo Boy' - from the Central African Republic, France, Democratic Republic of Congo and Italy, and Co-Written and Directed by Rafiki Fariala. Bangui, Central African Republic, and 17 year-old Robert dreams of a career in music, but civil war is tearing the country apart. When both his parents are thrown into prison, he is left to look after his four younger siblings on his own, juggling daily life, odd jobs, school exams and concert stages, determined to follow his dream. Icelandic Premiere.

* 'A Day in the Life of Jo : Chapter Phaedra' - from Greece, Germany and France and Directed by Jacqueline Lentzou. Jo is wild, melancholic, only fifteen and today she misses the school bus, once again. Her mother insists she doesn't have a car, even though it's parked outside. Furious, Jo tries to damage the car. Her mother intervenes, and that is the last time they will meet in the physical world – at least in body form. Throughout the day, subtle signs and symbols from the dream world quietly surface around her, but she fails to recognise them, indeed Jo is unaware that she is living the last day of her life. Icelandic Premiere.

* 'Dua' - from Kosovo, Switzerland and France and Co-Written and Directed by Blerta Basholli. Prishtina, Kosova, late 1990's. As war looms and ethnic tensions escalate, thirteen-year-old Dua struggles to find her place among her peers and within her changing body. After an incident shakes her community, she becomes a target herself and bonds with a fearless girl, Maki, who draws her toward an unexpected form of resistance. Between the daily violence and the growing threat of exile, there is little room for quiet awakenings. Icelandic Premiere.

* 'La Gradiva' - from France and Italy and Directed by Marine Atlan. A class of high school students travel to Pompeii to discover ruins and bodies petrified by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The trip becomes a rare moment when the force of youth meets a world frozen in time. Their desires start to surface with unexpected intensity, leading them toward an irreversible fracture. Icelandic Premiere.

* 'Light Pillar' - from China and Directed by Xu Zao. Set in the future, during the Winter. Space travel is no longer a dream. A lonely janitor tends the grounds of a dilapidated bankrupt film studio with only a former cat actor for company until he embarks on a romantic journey with a female player in a beautiful virtual world. Icelandic Premiere.

* 'Skateboarding Is Not For Girls' - from North Macedonia, Belgium, Slovenia and Croatia, and Co-Written and Directed by Dina Duma. When the conservative tradition of selling a bride is proposed as the answer to her family’s financial troubles, Adela is thrust into an unfamiliar world, caught between the demands of tradition and the promise of modern life. Icelandic Premiere.

For the details of the other film strands being showcased, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.riff.is/en/

Turning the attention then back on this weeks five new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we kick off with a survival thriller where, following a harrowing plane crash, a Special Forces officer and his combat dog find themselves stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness, and together, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements. This is followed by a romantic offering in which a young couple, Harper and Charlie, leave their hometowns to start a new life together in a new city. Next up is a French biographical drama film that sees Otto von Spreckelsen, a real-life architecture teacher from Copenhagen, who surprised the world when he won an open-call competition launched by French President Francois Mitterrand in 1983. Then we turn to an animated fantasy film that tells the story of a monstrous creature that escapes from a melting iceberg, and a self-doubting teenage humpback whale who must face his fears and dive into the darkest depths with his friends, to discover a mystical song that can save the oceans from destruction. And closing out the week we have a musical doco where, after a seven-year hiatus following the devastating loss of their beloved bandmate Chester Bennington, Linkin Park's remaining members struggle to find their way forward.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'HEART OF THE BEAST' (Rated M) - is an American survival thriller film Co-Produced and Directed by David Ayer who made his feature film Directorial debut with 'Harsh Times' in 2005, and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Street Kings' in 2008, 'End of Watch' in 2012, 'Fury' in 2014, 'Suicide Squad' in 2016, 'Bright' in 2017, 'The Beekeeper' in 2024 and 'A Working Man' in 2025. This film is released in the US this week too, having been shown out of competition at the recent San Sebastian International Film Festival. 

The film follows Special Forces officer James Belmont (Brad Pitt, who also Co-Produces here) and his retired combat dog Odin (Uber) after a plane crash in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. Stranded in the desolate and harsh landscape, they face cold weather, danger and other wild animals as they fight to survive and battle the fierce elements that would likely see an end to any other man or dog. Also starring J.K. Simmons and Anna Lambe. 

'CHARLIE HARPER' (Rated M) - this American romance film is Written by Tom Dean and Directed by Tom Dean and Mac Eldridge in their respective feature film making debuts. The film tells the story of a young woman, Harper (Emilia Jones), and a young man, Charlie (Nick Robinson), who after meeting leave their lives behind and attempt to build a life together in a new city. As Harper works to build a career as a chef, and Charlie struggles to get himself on track, their relationship faces growing challenges. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September last year and is released Stateside and here in Australia this week. 

'THE GREAT ARCH' (Rated PG) - is a French biographical drama film Written and Directed by Stephane Demoustier who made his feature film debut with '40-Love' in 2014, and which he would follow up with 'The Girl with a Bracelet' in 2019 and 'Borgo' in 2023. This film is based on Laurence Cosse's 2016 novel 'La Grande Arche'. In 1983, French President Francois Mitterrand (Michel Fau) decides to launch an international architectural competition for the flagship project of his mandate : the Great Arch of La Defense, aligned with the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe. Against all odds, Otto von Spreckelsen (Claes Bang), a Danish architect, wins the competition. Overnight, this 53-year-old man, unknown in France, arrives in Paris where he is propelled at the helm of this extravagant project. While the architect intends to build the Great Arch exactly as he envisioned, his ideas quickly clash with realistic constraints and the unpredictable changes of politics. Also starring Sidse Babett Knudsen, Xavier Dolan and Swann Arlaud. The film had its World Premiere in the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May 2025, was released in its native France in early November, and only now does it reach Australian cinema's. It has generated largely positive critical reviews.

'THE LAST WHALE SINGER' (Rated PG) - this English language animated fantasy film is a German, Czech Republic and Canadian Co-Production that is Written and Directed by Reza Memari, whose only other feature film making credit is 'A Stork's Journey' from 2017 which he Co-Directed. Here, Vincent (Vincent Tong), a teenage humpback whale, the orphaned son of Humphrey (Chimwemwe Miller), and the last Whale Singer, whose magical song once protected the oceans. Burdened by the loss of his parents, Vincent doubts his own abilities. When the monstrous Leviathan escapes from a melting iceberg, threatening all marine life with its deadly ink, Vincent must go on an adventurous journey to find his own song to save the oceans, joined by Walter (Bruce Dinsmore), his finicky suckerfish nanny, and Darya (Jenna Wheeler-Hughes), a brave deaf orca. The film was released in Germany in mid-February and the USA in early June this year having garnered largely positive critical press. Apparently Writer and Director Reza Memari is working on a sequel. 

'LINKIN PARK : UNSHATTER' (Rated M) - is a music documentary film Directed by Joseph Hahn and Mark Ritchie. Joseph Hahn's only other feature film credit is 2014's 'Mall' and he appears to have Directed the majority of Linkin Park's music video's over the past fifteen years or so, as well as being the bands DJ/turntablist. Mark Ritchie has a long list of TV series, TV specials and TV movies that he has Directed over the past 25+ years. Here, after seven years, Linkin Park's surviving members reunite with two new bandmates - Emily Armstrong on vocals and Colin Brittain on drums, to forge a path forward following Chester Bennington's death in 2017 and Rob Bourdon leaving the band thereafter. Through studio sessions, performances, and interviews, a journey of healing and reinvention emerges, leading to the creation of their album 'From Zero'. 

With five new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-