La bête

They say there is nothing like Mama Bear (I think they say that, but you know what I mean in any case) ... well get a hold of Papa Bear(d)! He ain't playing around either. Seemingly unstoppable - or is he? One thing is for sure, he aims for the throat and he goes right for the target. No distractions and alll that other stuff police has to worry about.

Which of course make him a target for the police too. A very down and dirty movie ... gritty and unapologetic! With a main performance that is quite mesmerizing to say the least. If that sounds like something you can agree and watch, than look no further. So can you dig it? And can you stomach it?

All the comments here about the leads poor fighting skills - in the real world people don't fight like Jason Bourne and John Wick, fighting is thuggish and brutal, with little finesse and the character is called the Beast for Pete's sake. But when you've been raised on a diet of sterile Hollywood pap of the past few decades then it's understandable that you think fighting should be stylised, clinical and frankly boring. This film was by no means perfect, but it is a solid 6.

That Italian flick tries something already used and overused by the US film industry: a former Special Forces member suffering of post traumatic disorder and whose daughter was abducted. I expected something new from this European film, especially released on Netflix, I expected something daring, more brutal, gritty, why not nasty, disgusting, disturbing. But directing and acting are more than OK though.

Liam Neeson has held a tough guy/image of a father since TAKEN. After five minutes THE BEAST starts I can see so many similarities. But THE BEAST is missing one key element: the power of kick after each punch. Movies like these are not just about the family/love bond, but also seek "violence". The title is violent but not the content. From many scenes I can see the actor is trying to catch breath which is something you don't see in Liam Neeson's. BTW the soundtrack where his past is described is nice, trying to find the title of the song lol.

In general, it's not bad but if you are looking for movies that can bring you excitement or help you shake off chose from reality then you may want to choose another one.

"The Beast" as the title translates, doesn't really ring true.

Akin to films like "Taken" (which is also implausible) the primary issue with this film is one of realism. The key protagonist is apparently a highly skilled, special forces operative. Yet his situational awareness is poor, as is his judgement. Of course, we are told he has PTSD. Even so, that level of experience becomes instinctive, so this is a thin excuse.

He blunders into multiple hostile situations. His combat skills look more like those of a simplistic street fighter. They lack polish and precision. No one with that kind of background would go in unarmed, either. A hammer, a box cutter, kitchen knife, or even a crow bar, can make a huge difference.

Just as improbable, his adversaries leave him for dead at one point, rather than finishing him off. All this after he proves he is at the least a tangible, if disorganised, threat.

Acting by contrast, is excellent. The main character is believable but he's let down by a script that fails to seriously ask how a soldier with this degree of training and experience, would really perform in this kind of scenario.

The outcome is a film that's more or less watchable but for anyone with any real training, it offer's up far too many "yeah right' moments to be convincing.

5/10 from me.