The Beasts

The Beasts

28/7/2023 2h 18m 7.5/10

Overview

Antoine and Olga, a French couple, have been living in a small village in Galicia for a long time. They practice eco-responsible agriculture and restore abandoned houses to facilitate repopulation. Everything should be idyllic but for their opposition to a wind turbine project that creates a serious conflict with their neighbors. The tension will rise to the point of irreparability.

Director

Rodrigo Sorogoyen

Top Billed Cast

Luis Zahera

Luis Zahera

Xan

Denis Ménochet

Denis Ménochet

Antoine

Marina Foïs

Marina Foïs

Olga

Marie Colomb

Marie Colomb

Marie Denis

Diego Anido

Diego Anido

Lorenzo

Machi Salgado

Machi Salgado

Rafael

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

3/25/2023

7/10

"Olga" (Marina Foïs) and husband "Antoine" (Denis Ménochet) have recently located to a remote Spanish farming community where they are trying to make their living in as organic fashion as they can. Their neighbours, "Xan" (an excellent Luis Zahera) and "Loren" (Diego Anido) immediately take against them as they are determined to accept an offer from a wind turbine company that will see them realise some money from their land and offer an alternative to their otherwise pretty subsistence living. What now ensues is one of the finest examples of cinematographic intimidation I have ever seen. Director Rodrigo Sorogoyen allows the tension to build without providing a spark-point. The angry characterisation of the bully that is "Xan" simmers as former teacher "Antoine" tries almost everything to avoid losing his temper. When the pot does over-boil - as is inevitable - the story starts to falls away for me a bit and the last half hour, though poignant, increasingly lacked plausibility. The said, there is a palpable degree of nastiness portrayed here that is way more effective than any you will see in an horror film. The writing is clever and sharp and the exposure it offers us to just how communities can turn on each other when money rears it's ugly head makes this a remarkably effective character study of human nature and venality. Some fine cinematography helps to deliver a perfect scenario for this menacing drama that sees a competent cast knit well and present a truly scary story.

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