Released: 19th August 2022 (UK and US)
Length: 93 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Starring: Idris Elba, Iyana Halley, Leah Sava Jefferies and Sharlto Copley
Smaller, contained films have been making a comeback in 2022, reaching below the two-hour mark for more easy-going, disposable entertainment. To wrap up the summer season, Baltasar Kormákur’s Beast delivers exactly what you’d expect and does it skilfully.
In a modern context, Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) travels to Africa with his two daughters Meridith (Iyana Halley) and Norah (Leah Sava Jeffries) in a bid to reconnect. The tech-cleansing safari takes a turn for the worse after a deadly animal attack. Their stalker is a large and very angry lion, driven into a killing frenzy by the loss of his pride. Stranded miles away from civilization, Nate, his children and their local guide Martin (Sharlto Copley) must outwit the predator and navigate out of the hazardous Mopani Reserve. Injuries are nursed, unsavoury forces enter the picture and the search for water and medical supplies keeps the story engaging. The highs and lows of the chase flow well with much of the fat trimmed off; at 93 minutes, Beast feels just right in terms of length. It doesn’t waste any time getting the characters out into the wilderness and aside from a few reprieves it maintains the tension. There is one thread that doesn’t work and that is Nate’s attempt to reconnect with his deceased wife. Several dream sequences attempt to show this bond, but it isn’t incorporated into the core action and falls short as a result.
With a small cast of four actors, Beast stays on target when it comes to their predicament. Idris Elba is at his usual best as Nate, his doctor skills and high composure proving endlessly resourceful. Meridith and Norah strike the right balance between teenage angst and fearful paranoia. Unlike other characters their age, the two of them really step up when the lion attacks, helping their father and looking out for each other throughout the hunt. You root for the trio to make it out alive and the sense of teamwork is strong throughout. Sharlto Coply has a smaller role, but Martin’s experience as a tracker and anti-poacher are equally valuable as the film goes on. None of the characters have great depth but the film uses this simple characterisation to keep us focused on the king of the jungle and his territory.
The story and characters may be tried and true, but Beast is no slouch when it comes to the technical details. Shots on-location in Cape Town are already solid, but the camerawork is by far the best element; Philippe Rousselot uses many long takes, smoothly following the characters and panning around the environment with a keen eye. Keeping the danger just out of frame while staying close to the cast makes for many suspenseful scenes, moments where the ferocious creature could jump out at any second. The soundtrack is equally brilliant; a combination of traditional tribal drums and pounding action pieces that hammer home the unstoppable power of the antagonist. Most of the animals are CGI stand-ins and they blend in well with the landscape; the one exception comes in the film’s final moments. Having the titular lion on-screen in full for longer does diminish the impact of the final fight. Be that as it may, the production successfully maintains its foreboding atmosphere with some nasty injuries to boot.
Far better than it has any right to be, Beast is a taut and straightforward thriller that chops the unnecessary baggage and delivers the goods; Idris Elba vs Lion. The tacked-on subplot involving the wife doesn’t go anywhere and the climax does stretch the believability, but if you’re looking for an hour and a half of tense wildlife encounters, it’s well worth your time.
Rating: 4/5 Stars (Great)
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