Beast (2017)

The first part of the film sets up a tense atmosphere by keeping the main characters under a mysterious light. It appears that something great is about to be revealed. But as the time passes, it is clear that this movie wants to be something it is not. There are no surprises, no shock value, and no unexpected turns. The actors do their best to save the underwhelming narrative, but they can only do so much.

Beast feels like an overproduced student film that doesn't have anything new to offer.

Fmovies: Feature debut director Michael Pearce brings us a modern gothic romance that showcases an intimate spiral down insanity through its complex characters and eerie atmosphere. Pearce demonstrates an amateur eye with his low-budget approach to locations and static camera work yet shows potential as a new up and comer. The film has a well of thematic complexities that although are imbedded in our lead characters are sometimes too muddled and lost in their toxic relationship that anchors the plot. It's part mystery killer, part forbidden romance that attempts to balance the best of both but falls short of thought provoking enjoyment, straining the audience in the last half to stay engaged.

Beast originally debuted at last year 2017's Toronto Film Festival, finally finishing its festival circuit one year later. So, after a year of generating buzz, how does it flare up? Beast is set in Jersey, a small island town off the coast in the UK that has recently been burdened with mysterious murders and disappearances of three young girls. The story focuses on Moll (Jessie Buckley), a detached and isolated young woman who through her oppressive mother and sick father, is commonly misunderstood by her high-class family. On the evening of her family birthday party, Moll escapes to go out dancing where she meets Pascal (Johnny Flynn), a ruffled yet fascinating young man who she befriends after he saves her from a drunken creep. As their relationship develops, Moll has to fight her inner demons, family conflict and growing suspicions as Pascal becomes a prime suspect for the recent murders.

Jessie Buckley gives a strong, dynamic performance. Moments she is reserved and quiet, acting through subtle body movements and facial expressions, while others she is loud, frightening and does not hold back. The same can be said for Johnny Flynn, who plays the wit and charm of a scruffy Jersey local paired with a darker, more violent side to make his Pascal well rounded. The story's melancholy truly comes through via Buckley, but unfortunately that is all she is, a melancholic mess. As the film progresses the audience is put on a strain, as Moll lacks moments of likeability or relatability. The film chooses to show a bunch of corrupt and damaged people which doesn't leave the audience anyone to latch on to. This lack of engagement makes any ending for these characters unsatisfactory.

Pearce excels in building tension and suspense. His scenes always have a sense of dread and ambiguity. He uses well timed ambient noise and a melodic score that when it isn't obnoxiously drowning an already depressing scene, is where the film stands out, creating a palpably anxious environment that we can't escape, mirroring its claustrophobic mood. There are messages it touches on such as oppression, solace, escape and redemption, but brushes on all four instead of harnessing one well first. It's murder mystery side plot almost seems a waste as it bleeds into the background for most of the film, where it could have easily shared the foreground with the romance. Beast overall is a rich indie effort that has a lot of ideas but seemingly leaves the audience emotionally unengaged, no matter how captivating the leads were. It's a valiant debut for Michael Pearce who although has no distinct style or voice as of yet, Beast shows he has potential.

100 miles a day is how far a killer whale travels in the wild. Held captive it breaks teeth trying to smash through the enclosing wall. Two such independent spirits meet on the dusky seashore. Eschewing her birthday party and straight-laced family in favor of a nightclub, Moll is in a desperate situation in a variety of ways when she first encounters Pascal along a remote section of beach. There is a series of missing and presumed murdered local young women in the news and so this is no time for her to be alone with an obvious outcast and loner, yet internally Moll craves an escape and adventure from her stuffy, arranged life. She has either encountered a kindred soul or a beast.

The twists and turns of this riveting and perilous romance play with notions of trust. This first feature from director Michael Pearce is thrilling in its authenticity. Pearce reveals in a rousing way that there is darkness all around, within as well as external to ourselves. The call of adventure both repels and appeals (it repels because it is so difficult to break from what we are familiar with and accustomed to), and the story and actors heighten this inherent tension from beginning to end. Other layers of the film are appealing as well including the stimulating sound of surf and appropriately eerie chords when a gruesome scene is discovered, crime investigators who inspire fear as well as trust, and intriguing chemistry in the romance. Some scenes are a little clunky and disjointed, but not so bad. The metaphor at the beginning about the killer whales was fantastic and I wish there were more such metaphors. Seen at the Miami Film Festival.

Beast fmovies. Well I won't be getting this evening back.

After reading the reviews I expected this movie to be either disturbing , shocking or somehow something out of the ordinary, perhaps twists and turns or clever spin maybe. What I got instead, was a slow moving film with an obvious plot, that played out to its obvious ending.

It's one of those films, where you press the pause button to check how far you're in, to then see its a third of the way through and so say to yourself "oh c'mon do something, anything", yet it still continues to roll on with the same single tiered plot.

What can i saw without spoiling it for other viewers but for once i stumbled on a movie at my local Cineplex that i had seen no and i mean no advance publicity of any kind. My only reason for paying to see it, was it was not "Avengers" mark 199! This brilliant wee Brit Romance/thriller/horror, is in my view one of the films of the year's best, i was hooked within 90 seconds and i was in it's grip till the shocking end! Watch, enjoy or not, at any rate, if you dare! - indulge me? This is good film making!

//Revelation Film Festival Review//

A psychological drama that steadily ratchets up tension, Beast is best entered into blind. For those who need a little more persuasion, the story follows a young woman, a mysterious man and a series of unexplained killings in a small seaside town. As both their past mistakes come back to haunt them, is all as it seems?

As Michael Pearce's debut feature, Beast is an assured first effort. Just when you think you know where it's heading it makes you question your assumptions and you'll be second guessing until the very end. A pleasant surprise that's definitely worth checking out.