Beast Here S What The Idris Elba Movie Got Right

Idris Elba has proved to be one of the most versatile actors of this generation. Beginning his film career in the 90s, Elba has starred in countless films and television series over the years. The 2022 survival thriller from Universal Pictures Beast featured Elba as its leading man. Hunted by an unusual and very aggressive lion, Elba’s Nate Samuels fought to protect his family.

Beast took a simple concept and was able to make it massively entertaining. Reception from the audience has been positive, although Beast has not necessarily been hailed as a cinematic masterpiece. Nonetheless, Beast still managed to succeed at many of the things it set out to do. It was a pleasant surprise during the summer 2022 film season. Here’s what the new Elba movie was able to get right.

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The Family Relationship

     Universal Pictures  

Elba portrayed Nate Samuels in Beast, a doctor, father, and widowed husband. He experienced guilt over being distant from his wife following their separation, who later died due to cancer. Wanting to remember her, Nate took his two teenage daughters to her home country of South Africa. However, after arriving, the family quickly came face-to-face with a lion killing villagers in nearby communities.

Immediately thrown in a stressful environment where their lives were at stake, Nate did everything he could to protect his daughters. The trip was to bring them together, and while it did, it did so in a much different way than they initially expected. The father-daughter relationship was at the heart of the film, and Beast excelled at showing the love and care the members of the Samuels family had for each other. Beast was not simply about a fight between a man and a lion, but about a family taking on a difficult challenge together.

Insider reported that Elba’s real-life daughter had auditioned to play his daughter in the film. However, she was not cast and did not speak to Elba for three weeks. According to Elba, “The chemistry wasn’t right for the film, weirdly enough.” There was an important distinction, however, as she was not supposed to be playing Elba’s daughter, but rather, Elba’s character’s daughter. There was a different chemistry needed for the film, and Beast found it in Iyana Halley and Leah Sava Jeffries.

A Charismatic Lead

Those who have watched The Wire, Luther, and Pacific Rim know of Elba’s ability to command the screen with his performances. It has come at no surprise that, for years, many have called for him to be cast as the next James Bond. Elba has consistently landed major roles and alongside Dwayne Johnson, became one of the highest-grossing actors of all time (via GOBankingRates). Elba has always radiated charisma, and he brought the perfect blend of warmth and confidence to Beast.

At the same time, Elba’s Nate Samuels was an ordinary man fighting against no ordinary animal. He was still vulnerable, showing fear and concern when admitting he did not know what to do. Nate was forced by the lion to get creative, summoning a warrior’s spirit from within so that he could get his kids to safety. Beast definitely tested suspension of disbelief too far at times, particularly regarding Nate’s ability to withstand numerous physical attacks. Elba was not playing Bond, or any of his powerful Marvel, DC, or Fast & Furious characters, but Beast had Nate fighting a lion with his fists. Where the film lacked in realism, Beast made up for in entertainment value.

Great CG Lions

When a modern film is centered on a fight against a lion, the lion has to look great. Hollywood films have previously recreated animals using computer-generated imagery with mixed results. The 2020 action thriller film Rogue was troubled by poor CGI. The lion took audiences out of the film whenever it appeared on-screen. Contrastingly, the 2019 photorealistic remake of Disney’s The Lion King impressed during its two-hour runtime. Of course, The Lion King featured a much higher budget than Rogue. However, a film still requires an appropriate budget to live up to its full potential.

Fortunately, Beast had some of the best-looking lions in modern film. They looked believable and successfully immersed audiences in the world of Beast. The camera work showcased the excellent visual effects, which were matched perfectly with equally impressive sound design. Scenes were full of tension and constantly conveyed the danger that the Samuels family were in.

Deadline reported that Beast was filmed entirely in South Africa, including the rural provinces of Northern Cape and Limpopo, and the city of Cape Town. Real locations provided a sense of authenticity that would have been entirely absent had Beast utilized green screen to represent South Africa. There was already heavy CG-work being done with the lions. The magic of filmmaking has always come alive when mixing the real with the unreal; combining practical effects with special effects.