Baltasar Kormákur, the director of Everest, takes us this time to the African savannah, where Idris Elba will have to face a bloodthirsty lion to protect his family. The film will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on November 24.
Galapagos Films’ “The Beast” press kit.
After the death of his wife, the life of Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) changes dramatically. When the burden of bringing up his daughters falls entirely on his shoulders, the father, who until now has hardly devoted himself to home life, must find a way to build a relationship with his daughters practically from scratch. That’s how he comes up with the idea of a long-planned trip to a wildlife sanctuary. What was supposed to be a journey of solace for him and his daughters turns into a terrifying struggle for survival. A giant lion goes hunting to prove that there is only one hunter in the savannah.
Galapagos Films’ “The Beast” press kit.
To make this movie , the producers needed a director who could not only deliver suspenseful action sequences, but also bring out the story’s full dramatic potential. Baltasar Kormákur – an experienced Icelandic director who has already produced such titles as Everest or Trapped , seemed to fit the role perfectly. In fact, it was a movie he’d always wanted to make:
Animals have always fascinated me, she admits. – I love horseback riding, but even as a child I loved wild animals – I cut out pictures of African lions and collected them in an album.
The large-scale film was an ambitious undertaking for the entire team.
My idea from the beginning was to shoot this film in one long take, although I was aware of how complicated it could be – recalls the director. “In reality, the lion had to be computer generated, which made it almost impossible to film the fight scenes between him and Elba’s character believably. This meant that their every interaction had to be very carefully thought out. The preparations for the film brought to mind working on a dance choreography involving a man and a lion.
In addition, thanks to the use of long shots and POV techniques (shots from the point of view), we are directly immersed in the spectacle of rivalry between Dr. Samuels, fighting for the family, and the titular beast. Undoubtedly, thanks to the use of a number of possibilities offered by the camera, it is a film that you experience with your whole body. When the hero turns his head back, the camera immediately imitates this movement. The immersive experience in which we participate makes us, in a way, begin to fight the lion ourselves and feel a real fear of its presence. The phenomenal cinematography is courtesy of Oscar ® winner Philippe Rousselot.
Galapagos Films’ “The Beast” press kit.
The pursuit of realism accompanied the creators at every stage of production. The film was shot on real locations in South Africa. So there is no question of a green screen here – according to the creators, it would not allow the viewer to have the impression of real participation in the action of the film.
Galapagos Films’ “The Beast” press kit.
The experience also deepens when we discover the truth about the reasons for the attack of the animal, which really only decides to counterattack. Ultimately, this is not a movie about a brutal beast that attacks people for no reason. This is a film about nature, which defends itself against the aggressive and possessive approach of man to the Earth, which he shares with other beings. All this means that the topic is no longer a distant fantasy, but a real issue that affects us today.
The Beast debuted in Polish cinemas on August 26. Coming November 24 on Blu-ray and DVD!
