‘Beast’ is a gritty survival thriller set in the African savanna. In just 93 minutes, Idris Elba plays a doctor and father fighting a deadly battle with a huge man-eating lion, alongside his two daughters. The plot is predictable, but the film still entertains. Its biggest strengths are the tight pacing and Idris Elba’s strong performance. The CGI lion and some character choices can be questionable, but the sound design, clearly made for Dolby Cinema, and the immersive long takes are excellent. While critics and audiences are split (Rotten Tomatoes: 69% vs. IMDb: 5.9), the movie offers solid B-movie action fun for those who enjoy that style.

From the start, you wonder why he’s driving alone and what leads him to make such questionable choices. The ending is somewhat abstract, so it may not appeal to everyone. Tom Hardy's acting is outstanding. Even though he only talks to others by phone while driving, you can easily picture the people on the other end. Holding attention for 80 minutes alone in a car must have been tough, but the film remains gripping throughout.

The story follows a séance in a haunted house with a mysterious and troubled past. As the characters try to protect themselves from spirits, things don’t go as planned and tension builds. Rather than pure horror, the film feels more like a suspenseful thriller, with a mix of about 30% horror and 70% suspense.

A battle of abilities. X-Men is famous for the fight of different skills, but this work is relatively straightforward. The psychological battle was more interesting than the battle itself.

It is a B-grade movie comedy film, full of quips from start to finish. However, the battle action is surprisingly robust. In space, the battle scenes are terrific, with both sides mixing and mingling. The politics are sometimes too chaotic, but this can be forgiven because it's a black comedy. The end of the film is sad. It is not funny. It is not a film that will appeal to everyone, but at any rate, it is a film that conveys the director's love for the subject matter he likes and the things he wants to do.