Well, it turns out that Brad Pitt plus a cool dog equals a good movie, and one that seems likely to dominate the box office this coming weekend. But Heart of the Beast has achieved something else and set at least one Rotten Tomatoes score record, though it was just shy of two.

At first, Heart of the Beast came in with a wild 96% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics. That would have been Brad Pitt’s best-reviewed movie ever, ahead of Moneyball (94%), True Romance (93%) and Inglorious Basterds (89%). Now Heart of the Beast is down to a 91% , putting it in third place. Still great!

The record it has set instead is for director David Ayer, who has quite a career of ups and downs behind him. This is his biggest up ever, and that 91% is his best-reviewed movie in his career. His other films:

  • Heart of the Beast – 91% critic score
  • End of Watch (2012) – 85% critic score
  • Fury (2014) – 75% critic score
  • The Beekeeper (2024) – 71% critic score
  • Harsh Times (2005) – 48% critic score
  • A Working Man (2025) – 46% critic score
  • Suicide Squad (2016) – 26% critic score
  • Bright (2017) – 26% critic score
  • Sabotage (2014) – 21% critic score
  • The Tax Collector (2020) – 17% critic score

As I said, a wild ride. He directed one of the worst superhero movies in recent memory in Suicide Squad , but two solid Jason Statham action flicks, a great cop movie and a great war movie (with Brad Pitt). Now a heartwarming Pitt-dog survival flick. Here’s the synopsis of Heart of the Beast:

“After surviving a plane crash, a former special forces soldier finds himself trapped in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness with his combat dog. Together, they battle the elements and other animals in a harsh landscape that would likely kill any other man or dog.”

People love dogs, and Odin, the dog in the film (real name Uber), is said to be the true star, not Pitt, so I would expect to see the canine on the red carpet at various events. Here’s some praise for Heart of the Beast from critics:

The Hollywood Reporter – “Don’t be fooled. Heart of the Beast is actually a love story, and one of the most moving to come along in a long time. That it’s a love story between a man and his dog doesn’t at all detract from its emotional impact.”

Daily Telegraph – “Pitt, Ayer, Uber and their collaborators are not reinventing the wheel here, but rather crafting the sturdiest entertainment of its type that they can. Much like lovely Odin, it is a film that knows exactly where its loyalties lie.”

Dogs man, everyone loves dogs. Heart of the Beast arrives this weekend and is likely to be a hit, based on early reviews and its subject matter. We’ll find out how things go starting tomorrow for early previews.

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