Man vs. Nature is a guilty pleasure to watch, but one question has always lingered in my mind. What does PETA have to say about these films? I wonder what that organization thinks when these types of films are released. A new movie called Beast is certainly a good-looking movie that showcases a nasty lion on the hunt while humans are caught in the middle of this safari bloodbath. With a simple enough plot, audiences can expect a battle you’ll either enjoy or roll your eyes at. It all depends on your attitude when viewing this film and, of course, if you’re a fan of this type of movie, you’ll get a kick out of it.
In South Africa, the film follows Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba), who brings his daughters on a tour of a private game reserve only to discover that poachers have pissed off the wrong lion! Dr. Nate is here to visit an old friend named Martin (Sharlto Copley), who oversees this private reserve and monitors the activities of poachers. Instead of hunting elephants, these poachers are setting up traps so that they can kill and transport as many lions to sell on the black market. It’s a grisly affair, and when the movie opens with a slaughter of a pride of lions, we are heartbroken and even root for the male lion to seek bloody revenge.
Everything changes when Dr. Nate and Martin are driving along and spot a wounded local who claims a lion attacked him and a nearby village. Bodies are everywhere, and there are no survivors. The attack seemed swift, unexpected, and violent. When the lion attacks the truck that Dr. Nate and his two daughters, Meredith (Iyana Halley) and Norah (Leah Sava), are riding along in, Martin arms himself and looks for the beast. Soon, the truck becomes disabled after it crashes into a tree, Martin is severely injured, and now all the pressure is on the doctor to save everyone!
I will say that the movie does a good job of presenting the attacks by the lion in a stellar fashion. It could be lurking in the tall brushes or walking in a nearby pond, but we know that we are in the lion’s territory, and he will do anything to claim dominance. I appreciate that the lion is defending himself against everyone he deems a threat, especially after his entire pride was brutally gunned down. The only way to save yourself is either flee the area or put that lion down for good. I enjoyed watching the attack sequences where the lion’s mouth is full of blood and does not stop attacking until it’s won.
Director Baltasar Kormakur creates the tension; however, the screenplay causes you to either laugh at the screen or throw popcorn at what you’re watching. Idris Elba is a very good actor, and it’s disappointing to see him play a character who lacks common sense basics. When the lion attacks the truck, the driver’s side window shatters, and when day turns to night, the daughter sleeps right next to the open window! Later, the good doctor seeks shelter in an abandoned school and doesn’t secure the doors or windows even when the threat is outside! These are among several moments are frustration that occurs throughout the movie. Sure, he’s a good doctor who can administer medical aid in a flash, but he’s clueless about what to do in a situation involving a predator that’s stalking you.
I love the idea of grounding this movie in a somewhat realistic fashion where the lion attacks everyone in sight to assert dominance over his territory. Still, Beast is a movie that features poor character decisions, unnecessary bickering in-between the carnage, and an ending fight that should’ve resulted in a far different ending. Putting all the complaints aside, Beast works as a movie that plays exactly how you’d expect it to. It’s Man vs. Beast, and the movie does deliver on that aspect. It’s worth the ninety-minute rush, but, in the end, it’s a forgettable movie that serves as a fun, dumb guilty pleasure.
Score 3 out of 5
Beast is a competently made survival movie that benefits from a simple plot and effective action sequences but suffers from poor writing and idiotic characters. Still, if you can ignore that, Beast delivers the goods in establishing the ultimate fight between man and an apex predator. It’s a fun movie to laugh at and enjoyable enough to give you a gleeful smile. It’s forgettable but worth the bite, although it won’t cut that deep.
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