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Beast (2022)

One blockbuster to be released this year is Beast. The film follows Nate (Idris Elba), a doctor who takes his daughters, Meredith (Iyana Halley) and Norah (Leah Sava Jeffries) to South Africa, where his late wife grew up. Things soon take a turn for the worst when they arrive at a small village to find that everyone has been slain. The cause of this turns out to be a lion that has lost its pride at the hands of poachers and seeks out revenge on all humans. Nate has to fight against the lion to get him, his daughters and his friend, Martin (Sharlto Copley) to safety.

The film is directed by Baltasar Kormákur and written by Ryan Engle. Beast is a film that has a lot to say regarding the treatment of animals and the poaching industry. However, it doesn’t seem to lean into these discussions as much as it could do and relies on creature feature tropes. Choosing the South African reserve is an excellent choice as it provides a lot of beautiful scenery. However, it feels as though more could be done to show the tensions rising between Nate’s friend, Martin (Sharlto Copley) and the local poachers in the area. Instead, we are given small glimpses. The same can be said for the backstory regarding Nate’s late wife. There is a lot of dialogue regarding the grief that Nate and his daughters feel in relation to the loss, but this isn’t shown as much as it could have been. This being said, Beast is a lot of fun to watch and is perfect for those who want to dive into a good old creature feature.

Idris Elba leads the film as Nate, a man trying to reconnect with his daughters following the death of his wife. The tension between Nate and his daughters is evident, especially the fractured relationship with his oldest daughter, Meredith. Compared to other characters in the film, it doesn’t feel as though much development is given to the character. The film seems to be focused more on how the daughters handle the grief of losing their mum compared to Nate. In the end, it just feels as though any potential development for Nate is dashed as the lion ends up surviving all sorts of situations and just seems hellbent on killing him.

Sharlto Copley plays Nate’s friend, Martin, a South African who grew up with Nate’s wife. Copley’s performance is the most intriguing of the film as there is clearly a lot more to his character than meets the eye. Martin has a wall of photography taken by and featuring Nate’s wife. The closeness between Martin and Nate’s wife is evident and whether or not there was an element of unrequited love, it’s clear that the bond between them was strong. It is also hinted at throughout the film that Martin is an anti-poacher, someone who kills poacher to protect the reserve and the animals. The scenes in which this topic is discussed, including Nate’s confrontation with a group of poachers are among the best in the film and it would have been great if the writing delved into this more. Copley provides the film’s standout performance as there seems to be a lot of unexplained backstory that makes the development and actions interesting to watch.

Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries are both great as Meredith and Norah, respectively. They have a great rapport with each other with Meredith being quieter and more openly grief-stricken whereas Norah is extremely confident and is eager for the adventure, albeit without any signal or WiFi. Again, the writing doesn’t provide a lot in terms of characterisation and growth, but Halley and Jeffries both make do with what they have, bouncing off one another brilliantly.

The cinematography by Philippe Rousselot takes advantage of the South African scenery. The way in which Rousselot captures the film feels as though there are long and relentless takes, especially during the scenes of conflict. We are immediately thrown into the conflict between man and nature from the opening scene. The constant movement and relentlessness of the camerawork makes the audience feel immersed in the experience which could be overwhelming at times. However, scenes such as the confrontation with the poachers are shot brilliantly as the darkness means we are restricted from seeing every person, meaning that the unexpected could occur.

The music by Steven Price is among the highlights of the film. The soundtrack helps to build up the tension in the film and at times feeds into the relentless of the cinematography. The titular track highlights the chase aspect of the film with the crescendo building throughout. The atmospheric “The Fire Is Still Hot” is quieter and provides an element of mystery as Martin and Nate try to figure out what has happened to the villagers when no one is there.

Beast is a film that touches on some interesting topics such as poaching and grief, but it does not delve into these as much as it could have. However, it is still fun to watch and provides good performances from its cast, especially Sharlto Copley as Martin. For those wanting to watch a simple creature feature that has a gorgeous backdrop, Beast is a great choice for you.

What did you think of Beast? Let me know in the comments below!

Beast is out in cinemas now!

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London Film Festival 2021: The Harder They Fall

When it comes to showing a film at a festival, there are few honours more impressive than being the opening night selection for the entire festival. The honour at this year’s London Film Festival goes to Jeymes Samuel’s feature film debut, The Harder They Fall which chronicles a fictional story about real black cowboys in the Old West. In a genre that has been majorly dominated by white men, Samuel flips the script entirely with an all-black cast and delivers a film that is stylish and captivating. Boasting an incredible cast that includes Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, and Regina King among many more, The Harder They Fall shows that there is no slowing down the modern Western trend while also marking Samuel’s exceptional debut and talent as a visionary. The film follows cowboy Nat Love (Majors) and his gang as they embark on a mission of revenge against the cruel Rufus Buck (Elba) who killed the former’s parents when he was younger, leaving Love with a scar of a cross on his forehead. What entails is a game of power between the two gangs in a bid to maintain control.

The film is directed by Samuel who cowrote the script with Boaz Yakin and the result is a film that follows a classic Western plot but this is in no means an insult. The plot’s simplicity allows more time for the characters to shine and gives them ample material to play with and become well-developed. Both gangs are filled with memorable characters which can seem overwhelming at times as you don’t know where to look during fight scenes but the chaos that ensues between the gangs and the individual tensions that arise between the members are an absolute thrill to watch. Samuel can only be described as a visionary when it comes to his method of storytelling. The way he combines the tight writing with music and beautiful direction results is on par with some filmmakers who have been working for decade. He clearly is someone who loves film and has a passion for the subject and the characters.

Leading the Nat Love Gang is Majors who plays Love and his partner, Mary (Zazie Beetz). The great thing about this film is that the line between good and bad becomes blurred so even though they lead a life of crime by stealing from outlaws, they have good intentions to serve the community and don’t mistreat anyone who is innocent. Majors’ performance is absolutely magnetic and he leads the film with ease. Love’s quest for revenge is perfectly set up as we see the tragic story play out from his childhood to help us understand his plight better. Love is an incredibly charismatic character who knows how to command a situation and Majors is perfect casting. Playing his love interest, Mary, is Zazie Beetz and the two share a brilliant chemistry together as the dynamic between the shifts and changes. What is great about the female characters in this film is that they don’t rely on a man as they have agency and strength and Beetz has become well-known for her feminist roles which makes her ideal for a character like Mary.

On the other side of the coin is the Rufus Buck Gang led by Buck (Elba) and Trudy (King). Their dynamic is similar to Nat and Mary’s as they are loyal to each other while also enabling each other’s independence. Elba’s role is one of the best in his career as he brings a darkness to the role of Buck that is very unexpected. Buck’s character is one that could be played over the top but Elba’s calm demeanour results in a performance that commands the audience’s attention every time he is on screen. Quiet and calculating, Buck is careful with his words and clearly intelligent and always thinking ahead. It’s also clear that Elba is having a lot of fun with the character and it wouldn’t be surprising if he were to receive some awards attention in the supporting categories come awards season. Playing Buck’s partner in crime, Trudy, is Oscar winner Regina King whose performance is terrifying and probably the most violent out of everyone in the film. Unapologetically tough, King’s ability to tell a story through expression works incredibly well as Trudy. The scene in which we are first introduced to Trudy as she and the rest of the Rufus Buck Gang break Buck out of his cell on a train is among the best in the film. Simply watching Trudy force the train to the stop by fearlessly stopping her horse over the track is both terrifying and leaves you on the end of your seat.

There are so many fantastic support performances that it feels unfair to only discuss a couple but the highlights from the supporting cast have to be Lakeith Stanfield as Cherokee Bill and Delroy Lindo as Bass Reeves. Oscar nominee Stanfield is on form as the unpredictable Bill, a man who gained a reputation for his fast shooting speed. In true Stanfield fashion, his performance is subtle which works well as it provides a sinister undertone and fearlessness to the character that makes every move he makes unsettling to the viewer. On the other hand, Delroy Lindo can always be relied upon to give a fantastic performance and his turn as Deputy Marshall Bass Reeves is no exception. Reeves acts as the voice of reason and has the strongest moral compass of all the characters, despite his clear affiliation with a wanted man; however, Lindo portrays Reeves as a man with dignity who knows that he is doing the right thing. In a film that is littered with stars, it’s just a shame that we don’t see more of Reeves throughout.

It would be impossible to review this film and not discuss the music and score. Samuel’s background is in music and he puts this to use by contributing remixes and the score himself. The result of which is absolutely stunning as he merges classic Western sounds with RnB to create a sound that is completely unique but fits in with the film perfectly. In many ways, the music is just as integral to the plot as the visual is. Mixing a variety of genres such as RnB, rap, and Church music to name a few, the score helps with the pacing of the film and works brilliantly, especially in scenes such as the train scene in which Buck’s gang breaks him out.

Overall, The Harder They Fall is a strong opener for the London Film Festival with one of the strongest casts in a film this year and marking a fantastic debut for Samuel. As we have seen a huge increase in Westerns being made in recent years, Samuel shows that there is plenty of room for his vision and executes it brilliantly. It’s hard to believe that this is his first feature film and hopefully promises to be the start of a great career as a filmmaker and writer.

The Harder They Fall is available to watch on Netflix from November 3rd 2021!

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The Suicide Squad (2021)

As cinemas have gradually been getting back to normal, a lot has been riding on the release of James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. The sequel to the much maligned 2016 film, Suicide Squad, The Suicide Squad may not have a title that clearly distinguishes it from its predecessor but the standard in overall quality couldn’t be further apart. Following some familiar faces led by Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) as well as some new villains such as Bloodsport (Idris Elba) and Peacemaker (John Cena), the Squad must infiltrate the South American country of Corto Maltese to prevent an experiment that threatens the US. What follows is a film full of twists and turns that brings the best of comic movies by incorporating a gripping storyline combined with imaginative characters and great special effects. The Suicide Squad lives up to the hype and shows that there is more to these characters then we were led to believe in the 2016 film.

Written and directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad combines a cartoonish style with extreme violence resulting in a film that is fun to watch. Gunn proves himself the perfect match for this franchise and has helped propel it back to where it can be and in turn, giving it a future for more Suicide Squad films. If Birds of Prey displayed just how well the Harley Quinn character can lead a film, The Suicide Squad shows that there is even more that can be done with the character. Gunn has clearly thought back to the 2016 film and written a film that incorporates what works and what doesn’t. The script is much tighter and concise while giving the characters the development they need and ensuring that there are plenty of action scenes. One big improvement for this film was the soundtrack which is more controlled and doesn’t flit from one song to the next which is what happened with the 2016 film. All in all, James Gunn is what this franchise needed and it will be interesting to see if he is involved in any of the sequels.

Margot Robbie brings another memorable performance as Harley Quinn. Showing why she is one of the most in demand actresses working today, Robbie is highly charismatic and charming as Quinn, who has moved on from the tragedies regarding her ex once and for all. What is refreshing about The Suicise Squad is that it is an action film that relies heavily on Quinn and with the success of Birds of Prey, was a brilliant decision. Many of the highlights in the film are attributed to Robbie’s performance and that frantic energy she brings to the role. The best scene I the film is one that sees her break out of her captivity with the combination of her many confrontations with military personnel and fluid cinematography creating a sequence that is captivating and violent to watch.

When it comes to the supporting cast, there are a slew of strong performances. With a few returning faces such as Rick Flagg (Joel Kinnamin) and plenty of new characters such as Bloodsport (Idris Elba) and Peacemaker (John Cena) but the highlight by far is Sylvestor Stallone’s incredible voice work as King Shark. Stallone is one of the most iconic action stars and has a strong filmography to boot but it’s easy to forget just how funny he can be. His villainous turn in Robert Rodriguez’s 2003 spy comedy Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over as The Toymaker is brilliantly funny and incorporates plenty of charisma. He channels a similar energy in his performance as King Shark which, despite being a character with limited communicative skills, is just as lovable and developed as the rest of the Squad.

Overall, The Suicide Squad was what Suicide Squad could and should have been. Combining the fun of the comics with flourishing colours and action that flies off the screen, James Gunn appears to have shown us how great this franchise is and the potential it has in the future. Hopefully Gunn has even more ideas up his sleeve for the next installment and it will expand more into the DC Universe.

What did you think of The Suicide Squad? Let me know in the comments below!

The Suicide Squad is available to watch in cinemas now!