Beast review: Idris Elba fights a lion in a short, effective creature feature

The beginning of a human-versus-nature horror movie beastone of the characters is wearing fake vintage clothes Jurassic Park T-shirts — a selection that scans as a clear homage from one universal summer hell creature feature to another. beast It also features classic Jurassic movie tropes, with a pair of siblings struggling to stay out of sight as they circle their cars around where large animals are trapped.But despite the similarities, despite the surprising level of tech released in late August, the actual Jurassic Park The sequel grabbed a prime slot in June, beast Ultimately, it’s not looking to be a Jurassic upstart or companion piece. The movie is guaranteed because it stakes its own little territory.

beastMost notable deviations from the Jurassic The series is that intimacy. Only four of his cast of Human are actually registered as significant figures. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) is a doctor who has returned to South Africa for a vacation with her daughters Meredith (Iyana Harry) and Nora (Leah Jeffries). Although his title is honorific, they meet Uncle Martin (Sharlto Copley). He is a friend of his family and currently works as an “anti-poacher” protecting lions and other animals in African reserves. Martin takes them to see lions and visit a local village. They discover the village torn apart, and soon a single vengeful lion is stalking them all.

Yes, the avenging lion. As far as Martin knows, this lion “became a rogue” (his words) after the death of the pack. turned to revenge. (Call him Lion Neeson.) It’s very much in the tradition of another Spielberg summer creature movie. chin, beast It elevates the basic human fear of sharp-toothed predators to something impossible, ridiculous, yet oddly plausible for most people.

Evoking Spielberg repeatedly is not always beast in any favor.There are no unique characters in this movie chinthe amazing effect of Jurassic Park, or the sweaty fist-clenching sequence in either movie. (or, for that matter, lost world.) At the same time, director Balthazar Cormacour has focused his American career on survival stories such as: Everest When driftingobviously put some effort into staging the lion attacks, the downtime in between, and the exposition leading up to it.

Kormákur uses long takes—some flashy and potentially computer-aided, but many more realistic—to turn spectators into tourists. First, it follows the Samuel children as they peer into Martin’s home and see the South African wilderness for the first time. Later, we’re stuck in or under their car while the lions circle, swipe, and gnash their teeth. The camera continues to capture the lion either through the window or in the distance, a second or two before the character notices him. Half the fun of the movie is watching Cormacour move through confined spaces. A deft tight-spot thriller.

The camerawork is more powerful human than the obligatory narrative of Nate letting his children down or beefing up during a crisis to protect them in a way he failed to protect them from the death of their mother. These aren’t the most heavily forced emotions we’ve ever seen in a 93-minute survival/creature thriller. Harry and Jeffries have a naturally awkward and trusting relationship with their on-screen father, Elba, and they’re all easily likable. We will show you a discreet and nonsense performance!

Image: Universal Pictures

But it’s easy to wonder if producer Will Packer was involved in the film’s family dynamics. what men want When night school Sometimes the piety of the moment it is taught hurts, and in this case the lesson is a little cracked. Meredith resents Nate because his mother died of cancer, prompting him to protect the rest of his family at all costs. But Nate, a doctor who should be familiar with extraordinary lifesaving measures and the inevitability of losing some patients, must learn that actually fighting death is his personal responsibility. In this context, the tenacity of standard-issue survival films feels like denial, with Nate seeking redemption for something that was truly impossible to control. As a movie that deals with the wrath of nature that cannot be done, beast He has a silly and naive belief about what can stop chaos and murder.

This is a minor gripe in a fun, minor movie. For much of its slim execution time, beast Bravely does what it’s supposed to do, all the way to raucous moments of top-notch stupidity for far too short a time. (Yes, a human challenges the lion to his one-on-one battle.) Together with his two other releases recently released in August, it even forms his accidental trilogy. I have. prey, autumnWhen beast Consisting of a stripped-down, well-crafted miniature revival of thrillers, it’s like a summer movie. Shallow water Also don’t breath (Or if you reach further back, break down Also red eye) bloated to an epic length more than an aspiring blockbuster. It’s a reminder of how little Jurassic World actually seems when it tries to expand its reach.

beast It hits theaters on August 19th.