[Blu-ray/DVD Review] BEAST
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There is a spot in cinema that often breaks box office records, yet lacks any kind of artistic value. Still, millions of moviegoers, including myself, shell out a pretty penny to get that IMAX or Dolby Cinema experience for a movie we probably will never watch again. This spot in cinema usually creates blockbuster franchises that utilize spinoffs to keep the profit going, often including mythology that leaves every movie open-ended. I believe the term is “popcorn flicks,” movies you go see to be entertained for the night, escape the stress of reality, then forget about anything you saw the next day. While it’s unlikely a franchise will be born of it, BEAST belongs in that circle of films.

Idris Elba stars as Dr. Nate Samuels, a widowed father who takes his teenage daughters to South Africa where their mother was raised. His absence during her later years guilts him and hopes to use this trip to reconnect. The hostility is present in the girls, but the love still exists as they become targets for a persistent lion. A large portion of the movie is about the family trapped in a car while the lion circles them, ready to kill Cujo style.

BEAST succeeds in creating 90 minutes of Elba kicking ass and presenting impressive special effects for the lion attack sequences. It truly puts its money where it counts onscreen because the script clearly wasn’t a concern. Don’t get me wrong: BEAST is not at all a bad movie, but merely a forgettable one. The family dynamics feel manufactured and familiar, but no one is going into this hoping to feel closer to their family.

The Blu-ray disc delivers the technical aspects a collector comes to expect. The pictures come off sharp while its unique color palette is rather beautiful to watch. For such an action-driven movie, it’s disappointing to see that a Dolby Atmos track was not included. There’s not even a 4K release so fans have to stick to Blu-ray as their best quality at this time, which luckily will suffice.

There are multiple special features, mainly revolving around the prosthetics and special effects work. A cast commentary would have been nice, examine to hear there actually was any chemistry between the family. Maybe this is a sign they forgot about the movie as soon as we did.

BEAST is not going to change cinema, but it delivers the 90 minutes of escapism one seeks. The film is now available on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD.

Jovy Skol
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