Film Review: "Beast"

 

We are finally into the dog days of summer which means theaters have become a dumping ground. This is when studios want to put out mediocre films, before rolling out the awards contenders later in the fall.  Enter Universal Pictures' newest action-thriller “Beast” starring Idris Elba.  A widowed father (Elba) and his two daughters (lyana Halley and Leah Jefferies) travel back to South Africa, where he previously met his wife. Reaching a game preserve run by an old friend (Sharlto Copley), the group discovers a dangerous lion set to destroy anything in its path. A premise like this promises to deliver old-school B-movie thrills making audiences scream and squirm. The question is, can the film balance those thrills with characters that audiences can care about?

Where “Beast” struggles is in the balance of tones in both its dramatic and thrilling sequences. These include a core element being the drama between Elba and his two daughters who are reeling from their loss. There are oddly timed outbursts from Halley (one of the daughters) throughout the film. Emotional beats like this highlight the slow boil and occasional unspoken tension between the characters. Having anger-filled monologues while being attacked by a lion just doesn’t work.

The attempts at characterization are paper-thin, giving us no room to connect emotionally to the drama.  Any sympathy I felt for the characters was due to how likable both Copley and Elba are.  However, watching them fight this vicious animal does offer some thrills.  Utilizing several long, single-take sequences help the film have consistent tension. The story's biggest success is the relentlessly brutal and unflinching action involving the savage lions. It is director Baltasar Kormákur’s that makes these sequences nearly flawless. They are exciting, tense, and thrilling in a way I wished the rest of the film could have been.

Being a campy B-movie, there is a ridiculous element to this story of “man vs beast.” It is a clever idea that works thanks to Elba getting into actual fist fights with a lion. This element is so ridiculous, that you are either going to be on board or not at all. What kept me from getting entirely on board were the shoddy visual effects. In some instances, they are just believable enough to be endearing.  In other moments, particularly in the third act, it feels like we are watching a badly made videogame. These moments of cartoonish violence are so laughable, that they contradict what the film has done well. Elba’s commitment makes the story something that is engaging enough for a one-time watch. There is an unshakable feeling that the film could be much stronger, with better attention to small details.

“Beast” had the potential to be a surprising end-of-summer theatrical experience. There is a noticeable commitment from Elba and Kormákur to deliver thrills in a brief running time, but the true potential of the film is never reached.  Individually exciting action sequences are intercut with painful on-the-nose dialogue. These moments are placed in the middle of brutal action that is entertaining, but never realistic. The unfortunate combination keeps me from recommending that anyone rush to see “Beast”  at a theater.