Beast - The Lion Won't Sleep...Until You're Dead!

 

For rent or purchase on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, and YouTube 

    One of the most helpful and underrated artistic philosophies I've taken to heart is "elegance in simplicity." More often than not, it doesn't take too much to create a compelling narrative or an epic presentation. Example: we never needed to know how or why The Force works in Star Wars because we're more interested in the development of Luke Skywalker as a character. Plus, The Force is, among other things, the embodiment of agnosticism: basically accepting the notion that we can't prove nor disprove something, but the idea (whatever it may be) is fascinating in its own right and worth exploring for ourselves. It is easy to forget that the most unusual and (at times) horrifying things can happen for the simplest of reasons, which I think is significantly more relatable and gripping than any explanation. 

    Today's subject, Beast, is a prime example of this very notion. The story of a broken family fighting to survive an elementary yet deadly natural reaction to human folly. It's simplistic storytelling at its finest. 

    Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) is taking his two young daughters to visit their deceased mother's home village in the Savanna. They meet up with their "Uncle" Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley), who works with a local wildlife reserve and acts as their Safari guide. While touring the area and admiring the wildlife, they find a small village with most of its people eviscerated, seemingly by a Lion. As they attempt to make their way back to home base, they are confronted by the same Lion, enraged by a blood thirst for vengeance. It turns out that the Lion is the lone survivor of an attack on its pride from poachers, and it seems to have snapped & gone rogue, hellbent on killing all of its enemies. Nate must do what he can to save his daughters and, in the process, make amends for his past mistakes. 

    There are many kinds of "human vs. nature" movies, and many of them tend to be unintentionally silly (not the fun kind). Most of them will typically have some kind of animal bigger than natural, the result of an experiment gone wrong, or feature an entirely fictitious animal (usually Bigfoot) that may be scary in context but lacks any relatable terror. While these movies are fun and enjoyable in their own right (I am a fan of Anaconda myself), I find that it's much more visceral and relatable when the natural element is more down to Earth, as it were. It reinforces a sense of plausibility that makes the proceedings more relatable and, by extension, more terrifying. 

    What sells the movie is, somewhat surprisingly, the camera work. Cinematographers Philippe Rousselot and Baltasar Breki Samper utilize many long takes with the camera constantly following the action. This causes the audience to scan the whole frame, wondering what's on the edge of the screen. Adding to the tension of being hunted down by a rogue Lion! The camera seamlessly glides and transitions between scenes and moments, adding a subtle sense of realism to the film. It may not be as excellent as the perceivable one-shot presentation of 1917, but its quality of execution is equally impressive. 

    Of course, the acting also contributes to the relatability of the characters. The entire cast has remarkable chemistry and works off each other incredibly well. Despite spending most of his career as a grizzled tough guy, Idris Elba showcases his range as a relatable flawed man trying to do better. Sharlto Copley provides an excellent performance as a loving uncle and may very well be the best supporting character of the film. Then again, I can't recall when Sharlto Copley wasn't ever entertaining. Plus, the two young actresses playing the daughters get a few moments to shine as characters and contribute more to helping the situation than you might expect. A delightful treat indeed. 

    While the film loses a few points for occasional moments of annoying repetitive dialogue, along with one or two standard thriller clichés, Beast is a much better film than you might expect. It's a simple story of a family with an internal conflict given external form in an equally relatable situation, along with a profound reminder of the potential consequences of disregarding nature in the world and within ourselves. 

    Well worth the price of admission. Check this one out. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you so much for reading.