La bestia oculta

Ugh! Ok, I don't THINK this is a spoiler as I'm not revealing anything of the plot but if you don't want ANY information, then stop reading now. .........

Ok....... I love werewolf movies. I wait for good ones to be made. So what do we get here? A not very scary, not well hidden metaphor on domestic violence. First of all, a werewolf is ALREADY a metaphor for violence and the beast within man. Human losing control and doing violence as an animal to other humans. It doesn't need a more obvious metaphor trying loosely to masquerade as a werewolf movie!! We don't SEE the werewolf, not until the Very end and just barely. We don't get a good look at it. Secondly, from the perspective of your husband is known to be a werewolf.... Stop being sloppy. Stop cutting it close to the full moon. Stop putting your child in danger. Oh wait...this is a freaking metaphor.... Bugger off! I didn't want a metaphor, there's plenty of warnings out there, plenty of real violence against women and children, we didn't need a metaphor for that either.

I want a good look at a great, well done creature! I want a moody, gothic, creepy and well done horror flick. The metaphor is already included...geez!

I can't relate to nor root for idiots and their stupid decisions. I have no energy left. This movie is a frustrating watch. The characters' illogical choices make it impossible to sympathize with them, and the plot never fully delivers the tension it promises. What could have been a gripping thriller is undermined by poor pacing and weak storytelling as well as a poor premise. Any potential it had is squandered by its inability to engage or surprise, leaving me exhausted, annoyed and disappointed. It doesn't make any sense and I wonder why Kit Harington chose this. He played well, but couldn't save anything.

The Beast Within (2024) is a low budget British horror film from Alexander J. Farrell. It is being distributed by Well Go USA Entertainment. The film has a small, but solid cast, led by Game of Thrones' Kit Harrington. The movie is set in a remote place, and the year is unclear because of the pristine natural of the film, and how it was shot. All of those elements are good compliments to this homage to classic horror films, with a twist. The essence of the appeal of horror films is that that are allegories that are founded in real life fears and horrors. This movie does a good job of being engaging, and thought provoking. There is more here than a simple werewolf's tale, and that is a positive. The strength of the film is the perspective from which it is told; that of Harrington's Character's daughter. Caolinn Springall does a good job carrying this burden. She is the heart of the film, and elevates it. Worth the watch.

Who would have thought 20 seconds at the very end of a film could so thoroughly ruin it? If you watch this movie and shut it off about 20 seconds before it actually ends, it's pretty good. Definitely deserving of much better than a 4 star rating... Throughout the film I kept thinking "How is this rated so low?". Then, I got to that final 20 seconds...if only I'd turned it off then. I'd have given it a solid 6.5.

It's not a high thrill action packed edge of your seat type monster movie, but it's a good story - and often I prefer that anyway. It was a decent horror movie, shown largely through the child's perspective - before that final 20 seconds. The symbolism is a bit heavy handed, but it did bother me - until that last 20 seconds.

Unfortunately, that final scene just slaps the audience over the head with the veiled meaning they'd been hunting at through the rest of the movie. That final 20 seconds really wasn't even necessary. The meaning is clear before they smack you upside the head with it. But I guess the writer REALLY wanted to make sure we got it, while also removing the best part of the movie along with it, so in with the final scene...

Even with that last bit, I still think the movie is at least 5 *s, so that's what I'm giving it. But do yourself a favour and turn it off half a minute sooner so you can enjoy it the way I wish I'd been able to.

The Beast Within is one of those films that you finish and immediately wish you hadn't started. Despite having two lead actors who found success in Game of Thrones, this movie is a complete letdown. The plot drags on endlessly, the characters are paper-thin, and the dialogue is clumsy and uninspired. You keep waiting for something to happen, but it never does.

It feels like the filmmakers thought they had a clever concept, but it just doesn't work. The supposed horror elements are poor at best, and the story is almost none existent and incredibly frustrating. There's some tension, no real scares, and no reason to care about anything that's happening on screen short of being frustrated by the poor choices the main characters constantly make.

Honestly, it's hard to believe this movie got made, and I can't help but think it only did because of the actors' recent fame. Do yourself a favour and skip this one. It's not worth the time or effort.