The Beast Is The Purest Science Fiction Movie In Years, Here’s The Evidence
The 2023 sci-fi romantic drama The Beast is best described as a unique exploration of time, emotion, and the human experience. This cinematic masterpiece, loosely based on Henry James’ novella The Beast in the Jungle, is directed by Bertrand Bonello from a story he co-wrote with Guillaume Bréaud and Benjamin Charbit. It stars Léa Seydoux, George MacKay, Guslagie Malanda and Dasha Nekrasova.
The Beast takes place across three timelines (1910, 2014, and 2044), blending classic period romance with sci-fi and horror.
Set in a future (2044) where emotions are perceived as threats, The Beast follows Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux), who decides to purify her DNA by reliving her past lives through a machine. During this process, she meets Louis (George MacKay), with whom she feels a familiar connection. The trailer takes an impressionistic approach, offering glimpses of energy, grief, and anger without revealing many details.
The Beast takes place across three timelines (1910, 2014, and 2044), blending classic period romance with sci-fi and horror. While these timelines may appear disjointed in terms of logistics, director Bonello brings them together on an aesthetic and emotional level. Through close-ups featuring Gabrielle and Louis in each era, Bonello captures a sense of yearning that transcends time.
Gabrielle repeatedly falls in love with different versions of Louis, beginning in Belle Époque-era Paris, where Louis is a British suitor rescuing her from a frigid marriage. In early 21st Century Los Angeles, he transforms into a disturbed American. The central question throughout The Beast is whether Gabrielle’s emotion-erasing journey will allow her to forge a genuine connection with Louis in the present.
The Beast faced unforeseen challenges during development.
The Beast is a collaborative effort between France and Canada, co-produced by Les Films du Bélier, My New Picture, Arte France Cinéma, AMI Paris, and Sons of Manual, led by Xavier Dolan and Nancy Grant. The project was officially announced in 2021, and principal photography took place in the picturesque settings of Paris and Los Angeles between August and October 2022.
The Beast faced unforeseen challenges during development. The biggest was the unfortunate passing of Gaspard Ulliel, initially cast as Louis opposite Léa Seydoux’s Gabrielle. Director Bertrand Bonello made the bold decision to recast with British actor George MacKay, a move that proved to be pivotal in shaping the film’s unique bilingual narrative.
The Beast, starring Léa Seydoux and George MacKay, is scheduled to make its highly anticipated debut in theaters on April 5, 2024.
The movie premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival in September 2023 as part of the official competition. The Beast received positive reviews, with particular praise for its unwieldy yet rewarding exploration of sci-fi. Despite being initially rejected by the Cannes Film Festival, the movie found a home in prestigious international film festivals, including Toronto and Busan.
The Beast has received acclaim from critics and currently holds an impressive 86 percent approval rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s general consensus describes the film as “unwieldy but rewarding,” emphasizing its ability to use its sci-fi concept to explore more profound themes. Metacritic echoes this sentiment with a score of 80 out of 100, indicating “generally favorable” reviews.
The Beast, starring Léa Seydoux and George MacKay, is scheduled to make its highly anticipated debut in theaters on April 5, 2024.
