The Beast

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The Beast

2024

2h 26m

Drama

Romance

Sci-Fi

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

144 Reviews

58%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely "erase" their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by their past-life romances, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) continually falls in love with different incarnations of Louis (George MacKay). Set first in Belle Époque-era Paris, Louis is a British man who woos her away from a cold husband, then in early 21st Century Los Angeles, he is a disturbed American bent on delivering violent "retribution." Will the process allow Gabrielle to fully connect with Louis in the present, or are the two doomed to repeat their previous fates? Visually audacious director Bertrand Bonello (Saint Laurent, Nocturama) fashions his most accomplished film to date: a sci-fi epic, inspired by Henry James' turn-of-the-century novella, suffused with mounting dread and a haunting sense of mystery. Punctuated by a career-defining, three-role performance by Seydoux, The Beast poignantly conveys humanity's struggle against dissociative identity and emotionless existence.

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Critics Consensus

Unwieldy but rewarding, The Beast uses its sci-fi conceit to explore intriguing themes in largely satisfying fashion.

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Adam Nayman

The Ringer

07/23/2024

The Beast gives a sense of an artist burrowing deep inside his material (and his moment) and emerging with something vital. It’s fearless filmmaking.

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Donald Clarke

Irish Times

07/13/2024

3/5

About halfway through Bertrand Bonello’s insanely knotty new picture – a Spaghetti Junction of semi-discrete timelines – one version of Léa Seydoux gives in to frustration. “What the f**k are you talking about!” she yells into the ether. What indeed?

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Mark Kermode

Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube)

06/05/2024

Against any rhyme or reason, it works.

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Ryan Swen

Taipei Mansions

Sep 5

The general cacophony suggested by this hailstorm of information, however, does not truly describe the experience of The Beast, and how both Bonello and Seydoux contribute to the singular, overwhelming mood.

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Clotilde Chinnici

The People's Movies

Aug 19

3.5/5

Overall, The Beast is an incredible film, unlike anything I have ever seen in recent years thanks to its ambitious storyline and fascinating visuals.

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Kyle Amato

Boston Hassle

Jul 31

I am usually allergic to any film taking on “our modern world,” as many writers and directors struggle to find ways to make cell phones cinematic, but The Beast leans into just how crazy it feels to be alive.

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Kelvin G

04/24/2024

This was very well acted and shot well, but the story was just meh. There was entirely too much dialogue. The end was somewhat abrupt too.

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Will

04/21/2024

A very strange movie that uses a sci-fi framework to examine difficulties people face in forming connections and sustaining relationships very ambitious and not totally successful, it benefits from a strong lead in Lea Seydoux and sharp direction. Still, it bites off more than it can chew thematically.

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Remy

04/13/2024

Strange movie but made me think and was entertaining

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Dotan

04/12/2024

First half was very boring and then the rest mad 0 sense

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Murray C

Feb 8

I don't really know what I just watched, but it was a captivating tale of frustrated love through the ages. It reminded me somewhat of The Fountain without the bubble or the cancer. I enjoyed the confusing juxtaposition of the different timelines and the repeating scenes where snippets of dialogue come out of the mouths of different characters is different epochs. Overall it left me wondering, but it's a lavishly produced film with compelling performances all round. George Mackay puts in a solid performance, especially his apparently fluent French. But you can't help thinking he's massively punching above his weight here, and Léa Seydoux seems like her acting talents are being stretched to the limits pretending to find him attractive.

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Art B

Dec 28

Stunning, beautiful and brave. No, I don’t totally understand the ending, and it had its slow earlier moments, but it’s a really moving film with a well integrated warning message about where AI is taking humankind. But that message is secondary to the expression of the human spirit and our potential for love. Also great photography throughout.

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Bertrand Bonello

Director

Léa Seydoux

Gabrielle

George MacKay

Louis

Guslagie Malanda

Poupée Kelly

Dasha Nekrasova

Dakota

Elina Löwensohn

la voyante

The Beast: First Look - Close Your Eyes

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The Beast: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely "erase" their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by their past-life romances, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) continually falls in love with different incarnations of Louis (George MacKay). Set first in Belle Époque-era Paris, Louis is a British man who woos her away from a cold husband, then in early 21st Century Los Angeles, he is a disturbed American bent on delivering violent "retribution." Will the process allow Gabrielle to fully connect with Louis in the present, or are the two doomed to repeat their previous fates? Visually audacious director Bertrand Bonello (Saint Laurent, Nocturama) fashions his most accomplished film to date: a sci-fi epic, inspired by Henry James' turn-of-the-century novella, suffused with mounting dread and a haunting sense of mystery. Punctuated by a career-defining, three-role performance by Seydoux, The Beast poignantly conveys humanity's struggle against dissociative identity and emotionless existence.

Director: Bertrand Bonello
Producer: Justin Taurand, Bertrand Bonello, Xavier Dolan, Nancy Grant
Screenwriter: Bertrand Bonello, Bertrand Bonello, Guillaume Bréaud, Benjamin Charbit
Distributor: Sideshow / Janus Films
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Original Language: French
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 5, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 18, 2024
Box Office (Gross USA): $414.0K
Runtime: 2h 26m
Sound Mix: Surround
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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