What we flagged
View all categoriesOur take
Heart of the Beast is an M survival adventure about a Special Forces officer and his combat dog stranded after a plane crash in the Alaskan wilderness. New Zealand classifies it M for violence and injury detail. Cold-weather peril, crash trauma, animal companionship under stress and fights against the elements all feature, rather than horror monsters. Fine for teens who can handle realistic injury detail; younger kids may find the crash and wilderness isolation upsetting.
Uplifting themes
The human-animal bond and perseverance sit at the centre of the survival story The officer and dog model loyalty and resilience under extreme conditions
Story (may spoil tone)
After a harrowing plane crash, Special Forces officer James Belmont and his combat dog, Odin, find themselves stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness. Together, they are forced into a brutal fight for survival against the elements.
What we flagged
Details
Violence Crash trauma and wilderness hazards sit at the centre of the danger. In…
Crash trauma and wilderness hazards sit at the centre of the danger. Injury detail is noted in the NZ classification
Language The PG-13 rating points to only mild profanity. Reviews do not flag str…
The PG-13 rating points to only mild profanity. Reviews do not flag strong language as a concern
Sex / nudity No sex found in this title
No sex found in this title
Drugs / alcohol No drugs found in this title
No drugs found in this title
Frightening A plane crash and isolation dominate the setup. Life-threatening cold-w…
A plane crash and isolation dominate the setup. Life-threatening cold-weather peril keeps the stakes high
Self-harm / suicide No self-harm found in this title
No self-harm found in this title
Sexual violence No sexual violence found in this title
No sexual violence found in this title
Child peril / abuse No child peril found in this title
No child peril found in this title
Bullying / discrimination No bullying found in this title
No bullying found in this title
Gore / death / weapons Injury detail from the crash and survival beats does appear. It is not…
Injury detail from the crash and survival beats does appear. It is not described as graphic horror gore
Dangerous behaviour Wilderness survival choices can look simpler on screen than real backco…
Wilderness survival choices can look simpler on screen than real backcountry risk. The film never teaches careful outdoor safety
Eating disorders / body image No eating found in this title
No eating found in this title
Mental health Stress and isolation come with the survival premise. They are not a cli…
Stress and isolation come with the survival premise. They are not a clinical focus
Gambling No gambling found in this title
No gambling found in this title
Grief / bereavement Catastrophic loss and endurance themes surface in the crash aftermath.…
Catastrophic loss and endurance themes surface in the crash aftermath. Surviving the wilderness carries that emotional weight
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- James and Odin depend on each other to survive. How does trust grow between partners under pressure?
- Survival films often pit humans against nature. What real skills matter most in the wild?
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Heart of the Beast
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