Brad Pitt's Near-Perfect 101-Minute Thriller Dominating Streaming Is A Reminder To Watch His War Movie On Netflix

Published Nov 14, 2026, 12:55 PM EST Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. Brad Pitt's nearly-perfect, 101-minute thriller movie that's a dominant force on streaming is a reminder to watch his incredible war movie on Netflix. Pitt's best movies span across his entire career, ranging in genre while still keeping him and his compelling characters at the forefront. From his role as the soap salesman-turned-rebel Tyler Durden in Fight Club to a father protecting his children from the apocalypse in World War Z, Pitt has proven himself a strong actor no matter what role he takes up. This remains true even in his modern roles. Some of Pitt's most recent roles have seen him in a variety of thrilling scenarios that have captivated audiences around the world. This includes some of his recent Apple TV movies, from Wolfs where he starred opposite George Clooney (harkening back to the Oceans movies they made together), to F1, a fictional sports drama that was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. He has a number of other noteworthy projects coming soon, too, including The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, a sequel to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But one movie that came out earlier this year is now a dominant force on streaming: Heart of the Beast. The movie stars Pitt as James Belmont, a Special Forces veteran who camps out in the Alaskan wilderness with his combat dog, Odin. After a terrifying plane crash, the pair are forced to survive in the wild and make it to safety. The movie recently came out on VOD, and is topping charts on both Amazon and Apple TV in the process. It's no surprise, considering how phenomenal the movie is. Brad Pitt Gives One Of His Best Performances In Years In Heart Of The Beast Pitt's Belmont is more than just a war veteran, but a survivor struggling with PTSD. His care for Odin goes beyond the bounds of man and beast, making the pair brothers-in-arms both during wartime and while surviving in the wilderness. Pitt embodies the complexities of what Belmont went through expertly, the woods becoming a metaphor that retains importance due to the harshness he and Odin face. The character is easy to care about, making it one of Pitt's best performances in years. It's something almost universally agreed upon, too, with Heart of the Beast earning positive reviews from critics. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a Certified Fresh 84% from critics, while also having scored a Verified Hot 94% with audiences. It's a justifiable score considering how fraught with emotion the movie is, and how well Pitt conveys that emotion through his stellar performance. It also harkens back to another movie he made earlier in his career, currently streaming on Netflix. Before Heart Of The Beast, Brad Pitt & David Ayer Made An Intense War Movie Heart of the Beast is directed by David Ayer, who previously worked with Brad Pitt on another, intense action movie: Fury. The 2014 war movie saw Pitt take on the role of Don "Wardaddy" Collier, a tank commander who leads his crew in a fight against Nazi Germany during the last weeks of World War II. The film focuses not just on tank action and the war itself, but also affords time to smaller moments that deepen the characterization of Pitt's commander and the rest of his crew. The movie is both an action-packed glimpse at World War II through the eyes of tank operators, and a story that doesn't shy away from the horrors of war. Much like Heart of the Beast, Ayer puts his characters first, making the movie the best it can be thanks to its approach to Pitt's character and those around him. The high-octane, tense thriller is perfect for audiences waiting for Pitt and Ayer's latest movie to come to a streaming service — though it's still available for those willing to purchase it and see it beforehand. Release Date September 25, 2026 Runtime 101 Minutes Director David Ayer Cast Writers Cameron Alexander Producers David Ayer, Marty Bowen, Olivia Hamilton, Brad Pitt