Beast review: Idris Elba fights a lion in a short, effective creature feature

The man-versus nature horror film begins early BeastOne of the characters is wearing a fake-vintage. Jurassic Park T-shirt — a choice that scans as clear homage, from one Universal summer nature-from-hell creature feature to another. Beast even features that classic Jurassic movie trope, a pair of siblings struggling to stay out of view as a large animal circles the vehicle where they’re trapped. It’s a strange juxtaposition, despite the fact that it shows a remarkable level of craftsmanship for a late August release during a summer when actual Jurassic Park sequel got a prime June slot, Beast ultimately isn’t gunning for status as a Jurassic upstart or companion piece. As it claims its smaller territories, the movie’s success is certain.

Beast’s most noticeable departure from the Jurassic Series is about its intimacy. Only four of the humans cast are considered significant. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba) is a doctor returning to South Africa for a vacation with his daughters Meredith (Iyana Halley) and Norah (Leah Jeffries) following the death of the girls’ mother, who was separating from Nate when she got sick. They meet up with Uncle Martin (Sharlto Copley), though his title is an honorific; he’s a friend of the family who now works as an “anti-poacher” on an African preserve, protecting lions and other animals. Martin takes them to see the lions, and a village nearby. Soon enough they find that the village has been destroyed and that one vengeful Lion is following them around.

A vengeful Lion, yes. As near as Martin can tell, this lion has “gone rogue” (his words) following the death of his pack. The norm is that female lions hunt and the males guard the pride. But this beast of fear has gone from protecting to exact revenge. He’s also known as Lion Neeson. It’s very much in the tradition of another Spielberg summer creature movie: Like Jaws, BeastIt increases human fear of sharp-toothed predators to a level that is impossible for many people, but absurdly plausible.

Universal Pictures

Repeatedly evoking Spielberg doesn’t necessarily do BeastAll favors. The film doesn’t have the distinctive characters of JawsThis is what the amazing results of Jurassic ParkThe sweaty, tight-palmed sequences with clenched fists from either movie. Or, for that matter ofThe Lost World.) At the same time, director Baltasar Kormákur, who’s focused his American career on survival stories like Everest And Don’t fall for itYou clearly put a lot of effort in staging the attacks on the Lions, as well as the rest periods and the explanation that follows.

Kormákur uses long takes — some showy and possibly computer-assisted, but plenty that are more matter-of-fact — to turn the audience into tourists. First we’re following along as the Samuels kids look through Martin’s house and see the South African wilderness for the first time. Later, we’re stuck in their car, or underneath it, as the lion circles, swipes, and gnashes its teeth. It keeps seeing the lion from windows and in the distance. The characters don’t notice it for a few seconds. Half the fun of the movie is watching Kormákur move through his limited spaces. It’s a skillful tight-spot thriller.

The camerawork offers stronger human storytelling than the obligatory talk about Nate letting his kids down, or about stepping up mid-crisis to protect them in a way he couldn’t shelter them from their mom’s death. These aren’t the most egregiously shoehorned-in emotions ever seen in a 93-minute survival/creature thriller; Halley and Jeffries have a naturally awkward, believable rapport with their on-screen dad Elba, and they’re all easy to like. Surprisingly, Sharlto Copley, the overactor extraordinaire puts on a calm and no-nonsense performance.

Universal Pictures

But it’s easy to wonder whether producer Will Packer had a hand in the movie’s family dynamics. Comedies Packer produced include The Men’s Desires And Night SchoolThey can sometimes be marred by teachable moment piety. Meredith is angry at Nate for her mother’s death from cancer. He vows to support his family no matter what. But is Nate, a doctor who should be familiar with extraordinary life-saving measures and the inevitability of losing some patients, really supposed to learn that it’s his personal responsibility to battle death hand-to-hand? This makes Nate’s standard survival movie tenacity almost seem like denial in this setting, where he seeks redemption for an event that is truly beyond his control. A movie about nature’s unknowable power and cruelty. BeastHas a simple, if not daft conviction of what is possible to keep chaos from happening.

It is an acceptable complaint in a movie that was enjoyable. Its short running time is a major problem. Beast does what it’s supposed to do, right down to the buzzy moments of silliness where it bravely, too briefly heads over the top. Yes, humans can challenge lions to one-on-one combat. The accidental trio even includes two recent August releases. Prey, HerbstAnd BeastThis mini-revival of the well-crafted, stripped-down thriller is more summer movie-like The ShallowsOr Don’t BreatheOder, a further back BreachOr Red EyeIt’s better than wannabe blockbusters that are too long. At a time when Jurassic World keeps trying to expand its reach, here’s another reminder of just how much less can actually look like more.

BeastOpening in Theaters: Aug.