The Beast at Luna

George MacKay (as Louis Lewanski) and Léa Seydoux (as Gabrielle Monnier), The Beast
Photo Credit: © Carole Bethuel

On a sunny Saturday morning, my partner and I headed down Oxford St to Luna Leederville to watch The Beast (Le Bête).

Starring Léa Seydoux (One Fine Morning, Farewell, My Queen, Blue is the Warmest Colour) as Gabrielle Monnier , and George MacKay as Louis Lewanski, each actor plays 3 different characters spanning over 3 different time periods.

It is an intriguing movie that might best be described as a sci-fi romantic drama – with a thriller and noir element thrown in for good measure.

And intriguing it was, as we were hurled between modern times, back to the past (into Belle Époque-era Paris) and into the future (2044) of a world controlled by AI’s, where feelings are muted  through re-programming – somewhat unsuccessfully in Gabrielle’s case due to past traumas.

The film raises some thought provoking issues of what a future world might hold for us. 
It also raises the interesting issue of whether souls can traverse across multiple lives and would it be possible to meet a fellow soul along the way (with a different personality in the same physical body).

The Beast is Director Bertrand Bonello’s most ambitious project to date.

Hats off to the two main leads – as acting across at least 3 characters over very different time periods in history must have been a monumental task, but one for which they rose to the challenge.

Film goers who enjoy an escape into the labyrinth of a thought provoking and complex cinematic extravaganza of very different proportions will enjoy this movie that has been loosely inspired by Henry James’ novella The Beast in the Jungle.

The cinematic experience was clear and crisp – with a surreal feel at times. It switches back and forth rapidly between the different time periods.

With the movie clocking in at 2 and ¾ hours, a myriad of reactions could be heard of challenging, interesting, etc from fellow patrons as we exited the foyer of Luna Leederville and headed back into the sunshine.

The Beast (Le Bête) opens on Thursday 30 May at Luna Palace Cinemas. 

Watch it for yourself to see what the buzz is all about – it's a genre-spanning film that has multiple layers of interpretation.

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