BEAST (R)
I’m always down for a solid survival story. Especially one that involves angry wildlife. That said, “Beast” emerges as a bit of a disappointment. A real shame, particularly given the cast.
“Beast” follows Nate Samuels (Idris Elba), a doctor and recently widowed father of two who takes his daughters, Norah (Leah Jeffries) and Meredith (Iyanna Halley), on a much-needed trip to a South African Game Reserve after a family tragedy strikes. While there, Samuels re-connects with childhood friend, Martin Battles (played by Sharlto Copley of “District 9” fame), and shortly thereafter, a trip into the wild goes off the rails as the Samuels family and Battles find themselves being hunted by a rogue lion that is none too pleased that his pride has been slaughtered by poachers. Yep…Much like the great white in that masterwork that is “Jaws: The Revenge” (yes, I’m being sarcastic), this lion is out to kill in the name of vengeance.
As expected, “Beast” is in the grand tradition of aforementioned survival tales that deal with pissed-off animals. If only this one had the tension and adventurous tone of the underappreciated “The Ghost and the Darkness,” the pure horror of the parent-and-child–in-peril stylings of “Cujo,” or the undeniable adrenalin-pumping grandeur of Steven Spielberg’s majestic, awe-inspiring dino blockbuster “Jurassic Park.” Not that every film of this kind has to swing for the fences, but “Beast” seems perfectly content being of the been-there-done-that variety.
Even an accomplished pair of lead actors can’t seem to rise above the very familiar material. I’m Team Idris Elba all day, every day. From “Luther” to “Beasts of No Nation” to the recently released “3000 Years of Longing,” this actor has talent to spare. Further still, Elba has never been short on charisma, and quite frankly, I’d have zero issues with this terrific actor taking on the role of James Bond, a casting rumor that has been talked about for what feels like years. Unfortunately, there isn’t much room for the nuanced touches Elba generally brings to his work in a movie as straightforward as “Beast.” Likewise, while Copely brings warmth and likeability to the table, his talent feels virtually squandered. And for a so-called professional with years of experience in the wild, Battles sure does things in this movie that feel highly questionable. In fact, the same could be said for most characters in this movie. As for the dynamic between Elba, Jeffries, and Halley, it never really feels genuine despite the real effort put forth by the cast. That said, the last couple of criticisms are really aimed more at the writing and the direction.
“Beast” was helmed by Baltasar Kormákur, a filmmaker who is no stranger to survival stories having directed movies like “Everest.” Alongside writers Ryan Engle and Jaime Primak Sullivan, Kormákur has fashioned a very formulaic survival story that might have benefitted from leaning more into the camp factor, particularly given that some of this stuff comes across as silly, especially the fashion in which Samuels’s redemption arc comes to a close by way of a ridiculously over-the-top finale. Translation; The often self-serious nature of this movie often keeps it from being what it should be; A fun time!
On a technical level, I dug the locales and the film is reasonably well shot. Per the visual effects, “Beast” gets off to a decent start by way of a sequence in which Battles engages in a little wrestling match with a pair of lions he raised since they were cubs. But once the rogue lion shows up, “Beast” resorts to an unfortunate case of CG overload.
Again, I’ve seen plenty worse than “Beast.” I wouldn’t call it bad but it is painfully average. For many, the brisk pacing and multiple lion attacks will be enough. Personally, I wanted and expected more, particularly given the talent involved.
