Brad Pitt & David Ayer's Heartwrenching Survival Thriller Gets Official Verdict From Hideo Kojima

Published Sep 26, 2026, 5:25 PM EDT Growing up around performers, storytelling was always central to Emma's life. Add in a nerdy older brother who introduced her to Marvel at far too young an age, and her love for entertainment led her to pursue a Journalism degree at Indiana University, where she discovered her passion for entertainment reporting. She spent nearly one year in Los Angeles covering industry stories and fully immersing herself in the world of entertainment media. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Brad Pitt and David Ayer's Heart of the Beast has earned a glowing reaction from one of gaming's biggest names. This emotional new survival movie reunites Pitt and Ayer 12 years after Fury, but their latest collaboration trades the battlefield for the Alaskan wilderness. Pitt stars as Special Forces veteran James Belmont, who becomes stranded alongside his combat dog, Odin, after a plane crash leaves the pair fighting their way back home. Now, legendary video game creator Hideo Kojima has shared his verdict on Heart of the Beast. Posting on X, Kojima praised the movie's ability to communicate the bond between James and Odin despite having very little dialogue, while admitting the story ultimately brought him to tears. "I watched David Ayer’s ‘Heart of Beast.’ It’s a story of a veteran and a former military scout dog, both suffering from PTSD, fighting for survival on their journey home. The beautiful yet harsh and unforgiving Alaskan wilderness stands in their way. There’s hardly any dialogue, but the strong bond between the two (Brad Pitt and the dog) comes through loud and clear. I couldn’t help but shed tears. At the end, the dog’s name, ‘Odin,’ hits like a body blow. It’s a shame there was no pamphlet made for it. 🐕‍🦺" Kojima's emotional response puts him just in line with the reception and reviews Heart of the Beast has received since arriving in theaters on September 25. The survival thriller currently holds an 87% critics score and an even stronger 96% verified audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with much of the glory centered on Pitt's relationship with Odin. That connection was always intended to be the heart of Ayer's movie. Per Paramount Plus, Pitt previously revealed that Cameron Alexander's screenplay moved him to tears before filming even began, while Ayer described the story as both an adventure and a "best friendship." With much of Heart of the Beast resting on Pitt and his canine co-star rather than dialogue, selling that relationship was especially important. Best known as the creator of the Metal Gear franchise and Death Stranding, Kojima has also become known for reviewing new movies, including DC's Supergirl, with his reactions often gaining attention from movie fans. Kojima isn't alone in walking away particularly impressed by Odin, either. First reactions to Heart of the Beast repeatedly singled out the dog as one of the movie's standouts, while audiences have continued responding strongly to the relationship at the center of the story. Heart of the Beast also marks a much different reunion for Pitt and Ayer after Fury, placing most of the focus on Pitt, Odin, and their fight to survive. For Kojima, at least, that simplicity appears to have worked. His reaction adds another notable voice to Heart of the Beast's strong early reception, and the fact that a movie with so little dialogue still left him in tears speaks directly to what Pitt and Ayer were trying to accomplish. Heart of the Beast is now playing in theaters. Heart of the Beast Release Date September 25, 2026 Runtime 101 Minutes Director David Ayer Writers Cameron Alexander Producers David Ayer, Marty Bowen, Olivia Hamilton, Brad Pitt Cast