MONSTROUS FAIL: Newest movie release, ‘Beast’, starring, Idris Elba, does not live up to the media hype. Picture: SUPPLIED
Idris Elba is one of a handful of brilliant British actors who are often mistaken for being American because of how well they are able to mask their English accents.
In his latest film, Beast, Elba once again plays an American man, however, masking his accent seems to be the only remarkable thing about this film.
Whether you’re an avid film enthusiast or not, you’ve definitely seen this one before.
An American family dealing with some kind of drama goes on a vacation to Africa.
They go on a safari, tragedy strikes, and they get stuck in their vehicle and end up having to fight off wild lions, all while having petty arguments along the way, that ultimately results in a closer bond, and a future trip back to Africa.
A quick Google search will bring up at least 10 movies with this exact premise.
Beast brings nothing new to the table. None of the storylines are fleshed out and the plot has no interesting story arc.
The dead mother trope is overplayed and the bits and pieces mentioned about her do nothing to advance the storyline.
The film stars a few South African actors, namely Sharlto Copley, who has played the role of a South African in multiple American films. There are a few other familiar faces, however, their brief moments on screen are forgetful to say the least.
The manufactured tension between the father and his daughter feels forced, with many cringe-worthy moments.
A daughter blaming her father for her mother dying of cancer feels like they had no real conflict so had to pick anything they could come up with. Not to mention the many stupid moves the characters make throughout the movie, including leaving the car and heading towards the danger.
At one point the daughter even blames her father for not packing enough food and water, as if he was somehow supposed to predict tragedy would strike.
The film’s only saving grace, if you can appreciate it, is the cinematography.
