Beast

There are some great performances here, notably from Copley, but Beast often feels too contrived and preposterously overblown.

Audiences will turn up because a trailer promised to show them one of our most charismatic A-listers in a boxing match with a roided-out kitty cat... In that sense, it’s impossible to argue that Beast doesn’t live up to its promise.

'Beast' delivers on its simple premise, offering an effective survival thriller&#59; nothing more, nothing less.

It’s partly this hint of emotional complexity, plus Elba’s robust redemption arc, from failed father to lion-punching saviour, that sets this picture a notch above the average creature attack flick.

Beast is a film that knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to overcomplicate things – it’s a chase film and what you get is a suspenseful chase. Job done.

The camera work here is really beautiful and the style fits this film very well.

Ultimately, its roar is muted.

In light and dark, dry and wet, peaceful and pouncing, the critters— entirely CG from my understanding—might be the most realistically rendered animals since 2019’s Lion King.

Beast is an effective B-movie thriller that overcomes its mediocre writing with well-shot sequences and a solid lead performance by Idris Elba.

The cast is better than the film deserves and has terrific chemistry – deft at making themselves than likable enough to hope they survive, stupid enough to punch a CGI lion (yeah, not smart).