“Beast” Review
Idris Elba hides in a broken down car from the king of the jungle in “Beast” which pits Elba against a lion in a fight for survival.
A great monster film is not just about how cool the threat is. It’s also about creating engaging characters and placing them in a survival situation that you’re not quite sure they’re going to live through. “Beast” does exactly that by taking the realism of its premise and injecting all of the fun of a summer blockbuster into it, making for one damn entertaining action film.
In “Beast,” a recently widowed doctor (Idris Elba) and his two estranged daughters (Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries) go to a wildlife reserve in South Africa to visit an old friend (Sharlto Copley) and heal the rift in their family. However, while going on safari, they are all attacked by a rogue lion and find themselves stranded with no running car, no outside communication on their radio and limited rations and weapons. Thus, the game is on to outsmart the beast while trying to make it out alive.
At the heart of this film is Idris Elba who is not only relatable, but is a complete badass. Not only is Elba an incredible dramatic actor in shows like “The Wire,” but he’s also one of the best action stars of the past decade. I’ve seen Idris Elba take on Norse monsters in the “Thor” films, Kaiju in “Pacific Rim,” Starfleet in “Star Trek: Beyond,” a giant starfish in “The Suicide Squad” and both Jason Statham and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in “Fast and Furious: Hobbs and Shaw.” With that said, I don’t think I’ve seen this kind of adrenaline spiking action from him before. The idea of him taking on a lion seems ridiculous but he not only brings realism to this story, but also delivers all of the action you’d want.
However, he doesn’t start out the film as a badass ready to take on the king of the jungle. He has to go through an arc which builds him up to take on a lion. That arc centers on his family who he not only has to protect, but also is trying to rebuild their shattered relationship. But “Beast” knows not to dwell on the serious stuff for too long and to jump into the action, making for a good combination of suspense and heart.
One thing I was looking forward to about this film was that the villain is a wild animal which not only makes it unpredictable but also is more realistic, thus more frightening. This rogue lion is something that actually exists and the effects of it are pretty good. It’s a frightening beast and rarely do the filmmakers go for a jump scare with this creature.
While “Beast” seems like an ordinary creature feature, the lion’s origin story is actually pretty socially conscious because the lion is a victim of poaching. “Beast” subtly addresses the harm of poaching and its negative environmental impact. And by subtly, I mean you get to see poachers get brutally murdered which I’m always up for.
Beyond that, the film is entertaining to watch because it keeps the suspense high by having exceptionally tight pacing. There’s not a single moment of boredom in the film’s 93 minutes and it's a very enjoyable summer film. The filmmaking keeps you in the moment with director Baltasar Kormákur and cinematographer Philippe Rousselot using a lot of continuous shots to keep you sucked into the rich atmosphere and beautiful landscapes of South Africa.
But because it’s a creature feature, sometimes the characters do stupid things which put them in harm’s way which can be frustrating to watch. However, those moments don’t happen too much and they are a convention of the genre which doesn’t make them any easier but you understand it’s part of the fun.
But these moments don’t outweigh how enjoyable “Beast” was to watch. If you’re wanting heart-pounding action which pits man against nature, this is the perfect film to wind down your summer movie season.
