A Besta

It's August and we have Idris, Beast seems to say; do you really have anywhere better to be?

Every scene is built on cinder blocks of tension, but the riotous screenplay is so silly and one-dimensional you find yourself laughing in spite of yourself.

Let the jump-scares commence...

If any lions watch this movie, they're bound to regard it as a comedy about the sheer ineptitude of one of their colleagues. Worse, Mr. Kormákur somehow elicits a shoddy performance from the sturdy English actor Idris Elba.

Think of it as Jaws on Safari and you'll have some idea what to expect from this generic thrill machine that requires Idris Elba to look great (he does) while doing battle with a digital lion.

Beast is basically Jaws on safari.

'Beast' delivers on its simple premise, offering an effective survival thriller; nothing more, nothing less.

If you've ever wanted to the man formerly known as Stringer Bell cold-cock the King of the Jungle, Beast is the movie of your dreams.

I mean, people do stupid things in horror movies all the time, just to get the audience to talk back to the screen, but this is excessive.

The Orca-like setup instantly sways allegiances in the lion's favor and follows a straightforward formula, but the care put into its characters and propulsive thrills keep you engaged.

A ludicrous if enjoyable reminder that just because you've seen one killer CGI lion, it doesn't mean you've seen them maul.

When a wiser-than-average thriller can more than adequately supply the dumb thrills we require from our large-screen, air-conditioned entertainments, you know you've found the right place to survive these last few dog days of summer.

The camera work here is really beautiful and the style fits this film very well.

This is Edris' show and if you go into it expecting just to enjoy him, you're going to walk out and you're going to feel like you had a good time.

As with so much of this director's work, I'm in the middle on "Beast," though its efficient running time puts it a notch above.

There are some great performances here, notably from Copley, but Beast often feels too contrived and preposterously overblown.

The success of this film's eye-catching, ear-grabbing hocus pocus can be traced back to smart direction, near seamless visual/sound effects, tight editing and the supremely talented Idris Elba.

Elba's commitment to the film gives it more psychological weight than it might deserve. Nothing will surprise you in how Beast unfolds except for how engrossing it manages to be.

If the film is elevated by the great Idris Elba... it nevertheless falls squarely in the camp of formula.

Yes, it's all illogical and silly... But if everybody always acted correctly, we wouldn't have movies like Beast, and that'd be no fun at all.