Noted filmmaker Bertrand Bonello delivers his latest masterpiece, "The Beast" ("La Bete"). The movie, inspired by a 1903 Henry James short story "The Beast in the Jungle," explores a poignant narrative about fear, life, and inaction through the eyes of renowned concert pianist Gabrielle Monnier, brilliantly portrayed by Lea Seydoux. As Gabrielle grapples with a terror she believes to be imminent, she pulls away from a possibly romantic relationship.
Bertrand's movie doesn't intend to assuage the viewers that the only thing to fear is fear itself. On the contrary, it amplifies the fear, framing it as the very essence of horror. This horror movie, laden with symbolism and densely packed with art, is regarded by some as the most powerful of the decade.
The terror in the movie confronts Gabrielle not as an abstract or spiritual phenomenon, but instead as authentic and physical occurrences that are inescapable, existing in the times of 1910, 2044, and most disturbingly, 2014. The movie showcases that the real beast isn't in the jungle, as initially suggested, but rather rooted in the elements of one's household, in the air we breathe, and embedded within ourselves.
The movie is seasoned with elements of contemporary life and noise, portrayed through an enhanced and deliberate vision by Bonello, leaving viewers captivated. It presents three timelines that could be interpreted as four and is framed around a green-screen session. The film ricochets through vivid scenes that range from a DNA purge-driven quest for liberation to an angry incel out for revenge.
The film's motifs, in particular dolls, beautifully blend with scenes that carry a Lynchian flavour. The movie's underlying theme, however, contrasts with those found in works by David Lynch, suggesting that humanity's pursuit of authenticity in life is often impeded by barriers of its own creation.
Bonello’s "The Beast" delivers a mix of horror, fear, aesthetically pleasing scenes, fantastic acting, and an underpinning narrative about an increasingly disordered world threatening to consume all remnants of beauty.
