jmbovan-47-160173

The Beast Within works better as a family drama. It is a slow burn film that before it ended I had decided it didn't work as a horror film. The allegory is inherent so the symbolism of the horror trope works decently, but i feel it was a distraction to create a "Aha!" moment at the end for the audience. It wasn't needed. But, a horror film is easier to market than a family drama that has a mysterious quality ablut it.

Production values are high. Acting is good from the daughter, mother, and grandfather. Unfortunately, Harington as the father isn't given enough to work with to produce a compelling character (as well as keep secret this twist). And that does decrease the effectiveness of the film.

Ending twist wasn't difficult to perceive along the way as I mentioned. Regardless, the quiet nature of the film was compelling to me even as little is developed in overall plotting. After I adjusted from the opening portion that wasn't intriguing and shifted to the slower pacing, the second act gained momentum to end decently even if it was a somewhat predictable finish.

So, AI robots, sex-bots, or companions exist. And humans are the vile ugly elements still messing up the world. Watching this left me with even more concerns about humanity, the despicable nature inherent in so many of us, and the sad obnoxious expectation that too many people feel they are deserved. Yuck.

As a movie, it is well designed for the visual production, acting is high, and the idea is half intriguing. Unfortunately, the the overall plot is a basic crude story of greed. And selfishness. And egocentrism. How boring is the concept that humans are filth. Somehow, as we advance with AI, the films that are telling this story are becoming more mundane and basic as the present of chosen ignorance of American society is now more the focus.

I (really) wanted to like this movie. Part of the story and plot line is decent: the mysterious creature in the woods, the parent almost paranoid with survivalist expectations. But, once we get to the present day, these parenting themes get heavy handed with exposition from the now father (once the son at the beginning). He pounds the points home everytime he talks to his daughter or identifies marriage issues with his wife.

I appreciate the less is more wolf transforation as it fits well with thematic ideas of parenting, love, and survival. But the heavy handed emotional and relationship aspects of the plotting and motivations for the characters is paper thin. And so as we creep toward the conclusion, there are threadbare lines of intergenerational conflict, interpersonal dynamics, and familial elements that aren't conflictual, exciting, or complex. (If they were at least complex, maybe some tension would be there; but, it's not.)

The direction of this movie appears to want to meld together family dynamics and supernatural horror. By splitting the middle, they have tensionless and scareless horror mashed with one dimensional character family lack of drama. Ho Hum.