Beast
review by Bobby Blakey
There is nothing like a good martial arts action flick that fuses itself into the real fighting world as opposed to just the usual action fair. The latest, Beast takes on the world of MMA and stars Daniel MacPherson, Luke Hemsworth, Bren Foster, Amy Shark, Mojean Aria, Kelly Gale, and Russell Crowe from director Tyler Atkins. Could this fight feature hit that emotional punch with the fights, or will it get knocked out?
Beast follows a once-feared MMA champion who is pulled back in for the fight of his life when his younger brother is put in danger after years away from the cage. Reuniting with the trainer who once made him a legend, he commits to one final showdown against the reigning title-holder — a brutal fighter determined to dismantle the ex-champ’s legacy in front of the world. Pushed to his breaking point, the contender’s stakes are simple: win or lose everything he’s built.
This film was a pleasant surprise as I wasn’t fully sure what it was going to focus on, but it delivers. It is fully invested in the MMA world but doesn’t try to force the fighting into the film just to fight. Instead, they take more of a Rocky approach and let us take the journey with him through his ups and downs. It hits some of the same tropes we have seen in this genre before, but the strong performances keep it feeling fresh.
MacPherson gives an outstanding performance both emotional and physical. His MMA training and fighting sequences are well done but made more impressive by the fact that he had zero experience before training for this film. It isn’t just a typical movie fight style but really looks like someone you would believe had trained for years. It is a testament to his dedication to the role and its execution.
Crowe takes on the Mick-like role, but in a different way than I expected. He isn’t
front and center throughout the whole film, but still here enough in a very important way and brings more emotion and motivation needed. The interaction between the two of them is some of the most powerful of the film and really pushes the narrative and importance of his journey.
There are a few fights here and there mostly in training sequences, but the two big ones of the film are excellent. Shot to both look more like real MMA fights but still allows them to showcase the skill and brutality of the sport. Big props to all those in on the fight sequences, but especially to Bren Foster who takes on the lead “bad guy” of sorts. His showcase of kicks is awesome and perfectly fused with the other elements of his fighting styles. I would love to see him get to showcase more in the future.
In the end the film isn’t something you haven’t seen before on some level, but it steps into the ring and walks out successfully. The finale got me in the feels with the intensity and hope this film finds the audience it deserves.
Decide for yourself and check out Beast in theaters now from Grindstone Entertainment and Lionsgate.
