Does Odin The Dog Die In Brad Pitt's Heart Of The Beast?
by Bill Bria · /FilmAdd SlashFilm on Google:
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This article contains spoilers for "Heart of the Beast."
The new film "Heart of the Beast" is centered on two characters: retired Army Special Forces veteran James Belmont, played by Brad Pitt, and his loyal ex-combat dog Odin, played primarily by the dog Uber. The film follows the duo as their solo excursion into the Alaskan wilderness goes awry when the pair crash land in the middle of nowhere. The movie is a survival thriller, and it's made by director David Ayer, whose prior work is largely composed of rough-edged films like "End of Watch," "Fury" (also starring Pitt), and "The Beekeeper." James and Odin have far from an easy time of it as they try and make their way to safety, and both man and dog suffer grave injuries along the way.
All of this begs the question: does Odin die in "Heart of the Beast?" For those who haven't yet seen the film and only wish to know the answer before subjecting themselves to it, the answer is no; Odin survives. In fact, the movie even opens with a flash forward of Odin being found by a kindly young Native American woman (Anna Lambe), so the film is not a standard "dog movie" where the animal is in periodic peril and there's suspense over his fate. Instead, Ayer and screenwriter Cameron Alexander have crafted a film that treats both James and Odin as characters in their own right. Both are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of their experiences in the Afghanistan war, meaning that "Heart of the Beast" is a more classic survival thriller about characters struggling to survive the threats from within and without. The fact that one of the characters is Odin the dog just makes the film that much more novel.
Odin the dog is a fully-fledged character
Odin the dog in "Heart of the Beast" is a fully-fledged character as opposed to being merely a sidekick, or comedic relief, or one of the usual roles a dog serves in most dramas. To be clear, however, Odin is not a character in the way most talking animal movies would have it, which is to tell the story from the animal's perspective and anthropomorphize them in the process. This is not "Babe," "The Adventures of Milo and Otis," or "Strays," for instance. Instead, Odin is portrayed realistically, with Brad Pitt's James helping fill in some expositional blanks when discussing Odin's past and his present-day mental health issues. One of the most deft choices David Ayer makes in the film is showing Odin having flashbacks to his wartime experiences, but also allowing these flashbacks to double as James' memories, too, thereby tying the two characters closer together.
Performances from real-life canines in cinema isn't acting per se, as of course the animals can't fully understand what the craft is. Yet great performances can still be elicited from them via a combination of training, behavior, and the magic of film editing, specifically the relationship between subject and object (also known as The Kuleshov Effect). In this way, Uber gives an excellent performance as Odin. Through a combination of body language, certain looks, and the editing of veteran film cutter Dody Dorn, Odin's emotions and goals can be as clearly understood as James'. Both characters share the protagonist spotlight, but when Odin takes over as the lone survivor when James succumbs to his injuries, it's a natural, smooth transition. No actor "inner thoughts" voiceover required!
Heart of the Beast is about a veterans' survival
There are elements of "Heart of the Beast" that reinforce the usual tropes seen in films about the relationship between an animal and a human, and it's not like the film wants us to forget that Odin is a dog. Yet it's really the story of two war veterans attempting to find peace in their lives again. Although we only see James interact with Odin and, briefly, a friendly woodsman (J.K. Simmons), there's an implication that James and Odin aren't simply on vacation in the remote wilderness, but have come to stay a while. The unit that James and Odin both belonged to in the war have all died, and though James may not necessarily be looking to die, he does appear to be retired from life in a meaningful way. This is part of what fuels the drama when he ends up having to fight for his own survival (as well as Odin's) after an ill-timed heart attack causes him to crash his plane.
Sadly, the pair's loyalty to each other runs its course once the duo are attacked by a pack of vicious wolves and James is fatally wounded. While loyalty is something they treasure, it's not the end-all be-all. In other words, this is not the "Jurassic Bark" episode from "Futurama," in which a dog's loyalty to his master is paramount above all else. Instead, "Heart of the Beast" is a story about surviving, with James attempting to ensure Odin gets a new owner, a home, and a life beyond him. It's this aspect which makes the film so moving and unique. So while wondering if Odin dies in the film is understandable, the better question is whether he lives. The answer is a resounding yes.