Beast (2022) - Survival Action Thriller Meets Profound Family Drama - 8/10 (27/09/22)

Beast is a surprisingly convincing mixture of a survival action thriller and a family drama that entertains from start to finish. The film revolves around an American father and his two teenage daughters who are still grieving the separation of the parents and the subsequent untimely death of their mother. The father reunites with an old friend and brings his daughters to South Africa with the intention to visit a reserve during a holiday. What starts like a wonderful safari tour that is supposed to offer some enchanting escapism in difficult times turns into a nightmare when the quartet discovers a village whose inhabitants have been brutally killed by a rogue lion. As the quartet attempts to save a survivor found a few miles away, they get attacked and separated by the violent lion. As night falls, a brutal fight for survival begins.

This movie convinces on several levels. First of all, the actresses and actors are doing excellent jobs and incarnating fascinating and realistic characters. Idris Elba convinces as a haunted doctor who is trying to reconnect with his daughters, earn their trust and overcome his own sinister past. Sharlto Copley impresses as courageous, grounded and helpful wildlife biologist who sacrifices himself to save his friends. Iyana Halley delivers the goods as the elder daughter with a rebellious attitude who questions her father's past decisions. Leah Sava Jeffries excels as the younger daughter who has a more sensitive, peaceful and diplomatic side. These four lead characters complement one another very well.

Up next, the settings chosen for this film are truly captivating. The scenes have been shot in Cape Town, Northern Cape and Limpopo. Numerous different landscapes such as deserts, hills and villages can be observed. One can also see authentic wildlife such as crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, lions, ostriches and rhinoceros.

One also has to point out the dynamic filming techniques. They offer camera shots from a small airplane, from different vehicles as well as static shots mingled with moving sections. The use of precise light techniques increase the film's tense atmosphere. The detailed sound effects bring the wilderness of South Africa to life in an immersive way. Even the special effects deliver the goods and make the rogue lion look surprisingly realistic.

The only negative elements to mention are that the film's story is relatively simple and that the film's outcome is rather easy to predict. Despite a few genre tropes, the movie has however been shot with enough pace and passion to convince from start to finish and make viewers forget about its minor flaws.

To keep it short, Beast is a vibrant mixture of a survival action thriller and a family drama with depth that makes it easy for viewers to empathize with the profound characters. Despite the domineering topic of death and a few scary scenes during the fight for survival, this movie could easily be enjoyed by most adults and teenagers alike. Especially the complexity of family ties that can be seen as this movie's guide line makes this flick an excellent choice for a film to be enjoyed by the entire family at your local cinema or at home.