Brad Pitt stars as Special Forces officer James Belmont who, along with his dog Odin, survives a plane crash in Alaska. Stranded in the wilderness they have to combat the elements to survive.
This is billed as a survival thriller and it certainly works as that. James and Odin encounter bears, wolves, storms and raging rivers, showing a remarkable durability and a will to make it to safety. But, it is also more than that. Odin was a service dog with James, and both of them suffer with PTSD. They have an incredible love for each other, and I defy anyone not to feel very moved by both their plight and their bond.
Director David Ayer keeps things moving and cinematographer Mauro Fiore has stunning landscapes to work with and captures them well.
Pitt is his charismatic best and the four dogs who play Odin are extraordinary. It only lurches into overt sentimentality in the last few minutes but I feel that the film earned it.
Rating: 7.5 out of 10