Beast | Dir: Baltasar Kormákur | In cinemas now | ★ ★ ★
Recently widowed from his estranged wife, Dr Nate Samuels takes his two teenage daughters on a trip to their mother’s homeland of South Africa. He hopes the trip will bring him and his daughter’s closer together after their mother’s death from cancer.
They visit the Mopani Game Reserve where his old friend Martin Battles, the man who introduced him to his late wife, is the manager of the nature reserve. They visit the village that the children’s mother grew up in, and accept an invitation to tour some of the off-limits areas of the reserve.
Things quickly take a dark turn when they come across a small village where all the villagers have been killed, attack by a vicious lion. Soon they realise that the powerful beast is still in the vicinity and they are it’s prey.
Idris Elba shows he can be an action hero in the lead role, and supporting actors Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries deliver great performances as daughters Meredith and Norah. Sharlto Copley fulfills the role of tour guide and friend Martin Battles.
Over the course of the film the party battle poachers, a long night in the desert, and attacks from the terrifying lion that stalks them. As to be expected they also find time while under pressure to address the issues that confuse their lives, and rebuild their fractured relationships.
Beast is certainly enjoyable and well made film, but it breaks no new ground in filmmaking or storytelling. Watching this film you are reminded of every other man-versus-beast film you’ve ever seen; Jaws, The Ghost and The Darkness, Deep Blue Sea, The Meg, and even Jurassic Park have all treaded this well work road.
Graeme Watson
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