Film: Beast
Starring: Idris Elba, Leah Jeffries, Iyana Halley, Sharlto Copley
Director: Baltasar Kormakur
Review: Klep Napier
Rating: 2X’s out of 5X’s
Beast is merely Cujo in Africa with pretty decent CGI, ridiculous over the top adventuring, while feeling the need to over explain survival techniques to its audience. Idris Elba stars in this summers popcorn disappointment.
From Director Baltasar Kormakur [2 Guns] comes a fish out of water, man vs nature, survival adventure following Dr. Nate Samuels [Idris Elba] and his two daughters Meredith [Iyana Halley] and Nora [Leah Jeffries] after they find themselves hunted by a massive rogue Lion while visiting Africa.
There is no other way to say this, Beast is just not good. The film not only borrows its core plot from the 1983 Stephen King film Cujo about a mother and son trapped in a vehicle while a rabid St. Bernard terrorizes them for days, it’s also surrounded by a lot of unrealistic situations that make the plot and characters seem unbearable at times. The set up begins with an unsettling relationship between a dad his two daughters that you can feel almost immediately. Then the predictability sets in and you’re able to connect the dots before the second act even rolls in. Moms not in the picture, daughter(s) blame dad, terrible situation will bring them closer, the end.
But it doesn’t stop there. No, see, Beast also feels the need to hold your hand through its paper thin plot line all the way through to the end. The film treats its audience like children watching an after school special on nature and survival. From Idris talking us through his first aid techniques every time a character is attacked, to over explaining how the final acting was able to be played out even though you already saw it coming mid way through the film.
Beast is just laughable at times which keeps you engaged enough to wait around to see just how much more ridiculous it’s going to get. The absolute best part of the movie is that you only have to deal with it for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Some movies were created simply to be released exclusively on streaming platforms. Beast is one of them.
Went in wanting to love this movie and walked out unsure as to way it was even made. Save it for a streamy day.