Directed By Baltasar Kormakur

Starring – Idris Elba, Sharlto Copley, Iyana Halley

The Plot – A father (Elba) and his two teenage daughters (Halley, Leah Jeffries) find themselves hunted by a massive rogue lion intent on proving that the Savanna has but one apex predator.

Rated R for violent content, bloody images and some adult language

Beast | Official Trailer – YouTube

POSITIVES

While other aspects of the film lack inspiration, the technique behind the lens couldn’t be better, with some of the most immersive elements of direction that I certainly wasn’t expecting in a film about a ruthless lion stranding his human opposition. The camera work from French cinematographer Philippe Rousselot commands a thorough versatility that weaves in and around the various conflicts, remaining with them faithfully even during dialogue that conveys attention towards another direction, and the meticulous editing further enhances the urgency and tension of the engagement while eliciting several long takes with very few cuts, in turn offering us no escape from the relentlessness of the king of the jungle. On top of all of this, the on-site photography of the African wilderness harvests enough beauty and cultural significance in the air of its setting, giving us a rich authenticity that permeates in every shot or establishing sequence indulging in continental escapism. This is especially surprising because most directors and productions won’t waste their time with conveyor belt films, however Kormakur instills something freshly innovative to the sensibilities of the interpretation, in turn elevating its value by cementing depth to the production that breeds ambition. Aside from this, it’s a film that makes the most of its minutes, with a thorough first act dissection that cuts at heart of the characters long before the conflict materializes. This affords us empathy to their plights, but beyond that illustrates meaning to the actions of their personalities that can otherwise feel abstract or distracting, but here grants insight to the lived-in familiarity of the family. On those characters, the performances are mostly solid from the entirety of the ensemble, but there’s no mistaken that this is definitely Elba’s show for the taking. Whether in the commitment to physicality that has made him an action juggernaut in recent years, or the sincerity he leans heavily on as an on-screen father of two, one thing is certain: Idris never takes any chance for granted, in relishing in the believability of his approach that makes him such a commanding presence. Finally, despite one hollow sequence where a hit from Elba doesn’t even move the fur from the titular antagonist, the majority of CG designs are otherwise remarkably impressive, with the luster of their designs and depth of their furs allowing them to seamlessly blend into each scene or dynamic that they accommodate. It helps too that the film doesn’t focus on them for long takes, in turn maintaining the mystique and ensuing vulnerability of their untimely influence, all the while imprinting their power with a devastating heft that couldn’t be better in terms of transferrable energy.

NEGATIVES

This film could legitimately be great if it had an equally ambitious partner in screenplay. Unfortunately, that balance never finds its way to the movie’s storytelling elements, as conventionally predictable methods and a buffet of bumbling character movements sabotage the execution to frustrating circumstances. This is particularly disappointing because not only does it echo every single one of the predictions that I mentally made for it after seeing its overtly revealing two-minute trailer, but also because it underwhelms much of the conflicts that otherwise have to be directed perfectly to even momentarily pull you in. To be fair, they’re pretty impressive, as initially stated above, but never impressive enough to keep you from the perils of body count padding by nameless characters, or Elba’s character quite literally leaving the door to a cabin open after leaving his daughters unguarded inside, rounding out the laundry list of expectations that I expected in a late August stranded film. Beyond this, the musical score was a bit too studio stock for my personal taste, and too amplified in volume mixing, taking away too much environmental authenticity and atmosphere from the various engagements. If done right, these compositions can work seamlessly with the measure of the magnitude, in turn underlining it with an echoing chorus reflecting the visual storytelling, but it’s far too intrusive to attain a single merit of subtlety, and because of such intrudes on the engagement in ways that pulled me away from the investment nearly every single time. Last but not least, despite its R-rating, this is a film that feels anything but, with occasional censoring reaching an almost frustrating level of containment. This is especially the case during the climactic finale, where the movie’s major resolution is diverted away from frustratingly, and we’re just kind of left with the characters’ reactions to sell the stakes. I mentioned this level of creative camera work during the positives, and that’s because it pertained to scenes of exposition where we learn about a character from how they interpret the wilderness. However, doing it here dramatically undercuts the tension in a big pay-off, and for “Beast” leaves it toothless in the moments it’s ready to feed.

OVERALL
“Though this “Beast” shakes foundations with unexpected photographic schemes and CG effects work that approaches this isolated thriller with an artistic flare, the storytelling elements are stuck on sedated, with an abundance of predictability and mindless motivations reducing its once enthralling roar to a poignant purr for what could’ve been.

My Grade: 6/10 or C