Who would’ve thought it — at least after watching the Twilight films? Robert Pattinson, once a heartthrob whose acting ability was shaky at best, has slowly developed into a captivating and even chameleonic screen presence. With Primetime, a film about the rise and fall of controversial docu-series To Catch a Predator, Pattinson now has a solid chance at an Oscar nomination. And it would be richly deserved.

Primetime Stars Robert Pattinson as To Catch a Predator Host Chris Hansen

Primetime begins with To Catch a Predator already in production. We watch the show’s signature moment, which would be repeated 20 times over the one (and only) season the show aired: A man arrives at a large, suburban home, believing he’s meeting a minor for sex. An actor portraying the child greets him, then leaves the room. Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), the show’s oddly intense host, emerges and questions the man, eventually allowing him to leave — whereupon he’s immediately arrested.

It was controversial from the moment it began, raising ethical questions about both law enforcement (few of the operations depicted on the show resulted in convictions) and entertainment (producers were accused of any number of misdeeds in pursuit of viewers). The film, from director Lance Oppenheim, focuses on the host behind the show — an oily and striving oddball who dreams of network-television glory, intimidated by, and jealous of, the more palatable reporter Stone Phillips.

To the shock of the executives, To Catch a Predator becomes a hit and gets moved to a primetime slot — opposite Lost, much to Hansen’s delight. Behind the success, though, a host of problems arises: The young actor tasked with playing the bait (Skyler Gisondo) feels conflicted about his role; Hansen’s producer (Merritt Wever) struggles to keep the train on the rails; and, most distractingly, an affair threatens Hansen’s morally righteous image.

Director Lance Oppenheim Shows Promise — While Robert Pattinson Excels

Oppenheim, primarily a documentarian, makes his feature debut with Primetime. Many of his stylistic choices are strong; he frames the film in a 1:1 box, like a gigantic, leering television, and offers unflattering angles, recalling the show’s treatment of its villains. The cinematography, by David Bolen, washes the colors into bright primary tones — like an old tube television losing its luster.

Some of the director’s choices are too showy; clearly delighted with the opportunity to add a dramatic score, he overplays it, soaking every frame with strings. There’s hardly time to dwell on such matters, though; Pattinson is stealing the show with gusto.

In his portrayal, Hansen is desperate, duplicitous and unraveling. Behind the scenes, he practices reciting the obscene messages the predators have sent to their targets, nasally sneering through line readings of smut. As his life deteriorates, Hansen stares continuously into the distance as if searching for the glory he feels he deserves.

It’s a masterful performance — and yes, it should be recognized by the Academy. Pattinson has demonstrated his potential in films such as The Odyssey, Mickey 17 and Good Time; here, he fully embodies that promise.

If you’re one of those viewers who can’t stand the sight of a dog in peril, Heart of the Beast may not be for you. If you’re a viewer that doesn’t want to spend 101 minutes in the wilderness without much movement in terms of plot — and nearly no characters — Heart of the Beast may not be for you. Frankly: Heart of the Beast may not be for anyone, handsomely made though it is.

Brad Pitt Stars as a Troubled Soldier Looking for Solitude in Heart of the Beast

The one undeniable asset of Heart of the Beast is its lead performance — a soulful, sensitive and achingly real turn that will surely captivate viewers.

I’m referring, of course, to the dog.

As wounded combat canine Odin, a 6-year-old pooch named Uber gives one of the great animal performances of all time. His A-list co-star can’t really keep up; Pitt seems distracted at best throughout Heart of the Beast, a rote tale of survival.

When James (Pitt) suffers a mild heart attack while flying a single-engine plane, he and his beloved German Shepherd crash into the cruel Alaskan wilderness. Over the better part of a week, the pair will battle wolves, bears, perilous cliffs and raging water in a desperate bid for salvation.

It’s frequently thrilling, if not particularly interesting.

The Message Is Worthy, but the Execution Is Frustrating

I think that Heart of the Beast is a parable for the dangers of isolation, particularly as it applies to veterans. That’s a worthy subject; anything that shines light on the need for ongoing support for those who have served is admirable. (If that wasn’t director David Ayer’s intention, and this is merely an action movie about a dog … you can lower my score.)

In execution, however, Heart of the Beast is an unpleasant experience. The film wisely begins with a flash-forward that depicts Odin walking out of the woods and finding help; we are thus spared the constant worry that the pooch won’t make it. Still, though, watching a troubled man and a wounded dog meet with repeated pain and disaster for 100 minutes is no great way to spend an afternoon.

On its merits, there are things to recommend about Heart of the Beast. It’s less than the sum of its parts, however, and I can’t imagine why anyone would seek it out.

Unless they really want to see great dog acting. I know I raved about Robert Pattinson earlier, but if I had to choose between him and Uber based on performance alone, I’d have a tough time.

Dreamworks Animation Gets Top Marks, and More New Movies Out Now

While the studio is often associated with the likes of Shrek, Trolls and the much-maligned Boss Baby, Dreamworks Animation is more than capable of producing affecting and beautiful films. (2024’s The Wild Robot was one of that year’s best movies, bar none.) Now, the studio has received some of its best notices in years for Forgotten Island, an adventure inspired by creatures from Filipino folklore. It’s early yet, but as of this writing, the film has a sterling 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Meanwhile, at home, Netflix is releasing Unabomber, a film that explores where it all went wrong for Ted Kaczynski (expect more tense conversations than, well, bombs). Reviews aren’t yet out, but the film boasts a strong cast, with Russell Crowe playing the unethical Professor Henry Murray, Shailene Woodley as a dogged FBI agent and Jacob Tremblay — memorable for his turn in the Oscar-winning Room — as a 16-year-old Kaczynski.

Plus, Don’t Miss Our Past Reviews of Blockbuster Hits

Box-office prognostication for this weekend is all over the place, but most forecasters are expecting a (slightly) vintage offering to claim the top spot. Marvel is re-releasing the blockbuster Avengers: Endgame in anticipation of December’s Avengers: Doomsday; it should outperform most re-releases as we all flash back to that heady weekend where it seemed the whole country was at the movies. Of course, you could also jump back into the MCU with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is now the top-grossing film … ever.

Meanwhile, last week’s winner, Resident Evil, remains absolutely worth your time — provided you have a strong stomach and a tolerance for gallows humor. The video-game adaptation is an excellent choice for a spooky-season outing; stay tuned for our own picks for retro frights in cinemas, due later this month. Less scary but no less seasonal: Practical Magic 2, the belated sequel with significantly more witchcraft than its predecessor. Nicole, Sandra and company are still in theaters — but you can bet on a streaming release before Halloween night.

Explore the summer’s past releases with Sean’s line-up of the summer blockbuster season.

About the Author

Sean Collier is the editor-in-chief of Shady Ave and the arts and culture editor of TABLE Magazine. Before joining the TABLE Media team, he spent nearly 15 years as a writer, editor and columnist at Pittsburgh Magazine. As the in-house film critic for the top-rated WDVE Morning Show since 2009, he’s been Pittsburgh’s most widely heard voice on movies for nearly two decades. A Pittsburgh native, Sean has since 2020 appeared weekly on KDKA-TV’s popular Pittsburgh Today Live talk show. He’s the co-founder of Vigilance Theater Group and an active stand-up comedian and event host. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @seancollierpgh.

Featured Photo Courtesy of A24

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