The Beast

By Joanna Langfield

Everything that’s old may not be new again, but this Samuel L. Jackson/Renny Harlin action thriller sure tries to make it feel that way.

Taking what has been a pretty standard formula for a certain kind of movie, screenwriter Umair Aleem delivers the tried and true with somewhat of a twist. The Beast here is not some otherworldly figure, it’s a car. The Presidential limousine, all revved up with state of the art artillery and premium booze. The President himself, a combat veteran currently in transit, is suddenly under attack from forces unknown. There are a whole lot of these mystery fighters and, quickly, it’s up to just the President and one wounded Secret Service agent to take the bad guys down and, you know, save the world.

There are a few reasons why this movie works in spite of itself. One is the car, which is kind of fun for a movie to play around with. The second is the film’s director, Renny Harlin who, together with the wonderful editor Alex Rodriquez, knows how to keep the pace going while remembering to throw in just enough drama to make us root for the guy at the wheel.

But the real reason to watch is to not just see, but celebrate one of our most durable and engaging movie stars, Samuel L. Jackson. With more than 100 films to his ever growing list of credits, Jackson has taken on roles as diverse as a strung out druggie to a Jedi warrior. And each time, he holds the screen with a magnetic intelligence that is unique and exciting. Even here, in a vehicle where the vehicle itself could have outshined the actor driving it, Jackson grabs us and delivers a performance that is as wisely calibrated as it is fun to enjoy.