The Beast

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Summary: A hard-hitting, realistic film for combat buffs!
Review: I first heard of this film in 1990 when Siskel & Ebert named it one of their choices for great movies that didn't make it big at the box office. To enjoy this movie, you need to have a tough stomach (graphic violence), and an appreciation for good film making (this is NOT Rambo!!!). It's a brutally realistic film, combat-wise, but also has some soft spots in it. All-in-all, a well-rounded war film which shows the view from both sides of this brutal conflict. A "Must See!", according to me!

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Summary: The Beast, a classic example of a foreign unwanted Army.
Review: The Beast is a movie I could sit and watch time and time again. The men in the tank dutifully follow the tank commander. All except one. They don't realize he is reliving his boyhood exploits as a "Russian Tank Destroyer" The cinematography in this movie is so extraordinary. The first time I saw the movie, at the end I had to take a shower,because I felt dusty, I could almost taste it. The anxiety communicated by the crew after they killed the deer was waring. I rate this movie with the Humphrey Bogart version of Sahara. While the propaganda value of Sahara was measured in Patriotic Ferver. The combative value of The Beast could be realized in the transmitted smell of fear and burning transmission fluid, it made me think of two words. "Let's Talk!" If we are able to juxtapose ourselves onto the screen as Martin Scorsese propounds. As a crew member I would have had to shoot the Tank Commander, after he cut down the Afgani Liason Officer. I would not want to wait to be next. The demons of war are bad enough without having one as a boss. [e-mail] Paul Joseph Driscoll

Rating:
Summary: A great war film
Review: Perhaps the most underappreciated film of the 80's, the Beast stands out as a solid war epic, with heart, action and beautiful imagery. Set during the Soviet Union's brutal war against Afghanistan, the Beast chronicles one tank's attempts to get back to friendly lines. The conscience of the tank crew is a young soldier played by Jason Patric. Increasingly put off by the atrocities against civilians that his hardened tank commander (wonderfully played by a rather lean George Dzundza!) has them all commit, he is forced out of the tank and left to die in the Afghan desert. While waiting to die, he is set upon by the rebels, who spare his life, and accept his aid in going after his comrades' tank! There was a lot to like about the Beast. Good acting all around. Fine attention to military detail. Suspenseful, well-done action scenes. Haunting score by Mark Isham. And amazing, razor-sharp cinematography by Douglas Milsome. The images of the desert are haunting and beautifully composed. END

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Summary: Important film in 2004.....
Review: Cuban-American actor Steven Bauer (aka. Rocky Echevarria) who played Manolo in "Scarface" does a great job as a Mujahideen freedom fighter in this film. All his lines are delivered in Pashto. Fantastic acting! This film actually serves as a very important propaganda piece by the current Karzai government in Afghanistan and is now shown throughout the country.

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Summary: A marvelously written, directed, and cast war/anti-war film.
Review: "The Beast" is a uniquely stirring film combining brutal realism with a moving portrayal of the human foundation of war. Set in Afghanistan in 1981, the film follows a Soviet tank crew that participates in the vengeful destruction of an Afghan village then becomes lost in the high desert. Running parallel to the story of the Russians is that of the Afghans who have survived the slaughter of their town and set out to take revenge on the Soviets. The story is a beautifully terrible tapestry of the tangled web of war. The Soviets destroy the village in revenge for (presumed) attacks by Afghan rebels--with whom the villagers have a blood feud. The divided Afghans unite to take revenge. The five-man Soviet tank crew proves divided in character and in skills. All the tank crew scenes reflect a scripting and directing realism so effective you can smell the diesel and spent propellant. The plot is driven by very human decisions and interactions. The near-miraculous turns in plot are made believable through meticulous attention to characterization. Underlying the plot is the powerful religious theme of the good underdog triumphing over the evil giant, as exemplified by David's triumph over Goliath. "The Beast" is a true rare gem worth seeing a dozen times.

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Summary: Great Movie - But a warning about the DVD
Review: This is great, underrated war film. But a warning about this DVD edition. The package states that the disc contains both full and widescreen versions of the film. However, when my copy arrived, it contained a single sided DVD with only the full screen version. This isn't Amazon's fault, as I'm sure they based their listing on the package info. So be advised, you won't be getting the widescreen version.

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Summary: Afghanistan in 1981 or Iraq today, there is no difference
Review: Made in 1988, this movie tells a fascinating moral tale about a lost tank crew pursued relentlessy by the Mujahedin through Afghanistan's desert - but the film is most exceptional in its relevance to the US "war effort" in Iraq today, 2005. The lost Soviet tank crew of 1981 looks and behaves just like any American tank crew would look and behave in Iraq today - even down to the American accents. This excellent all-action film is probably the closest any armchair American will ever get to seeing the anarchic situation in Iraq today, as that country slides ever further into chaos, anarchy and decay. This is not an easy film to view but there is no doubt that the viewing is compelling and extremely relevant. Anyone who can watch this movie and then still talk about the "glory of war" and "preserving freedom" would have to be stark raving insane. MONTOYA

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Summary: Haunting film with excellent performances
Review: The Beast, which is based on the stage play "Nanawatai" by William Mastrosimone is a haunting movie with excellent performances from its cast. This film is hard to stomach sometimes due to the violence and bloodshed gore that are in some scenes. Nevertheless, is a very good movie that never had the success it deserved because of poor distrbution from the studio that released it Columbia Pictures.

The actors are all excellent with the exception of Jason Patric. I feel that maybe he could've done more with his character he seemed lost or out of place at times. It is strange because I do think that he is a very good actor in other movies he has done. Although he is not bad in this one he is believable most of the times I guess. George Dzunda is excellent as the evil and merciless tank commander. He is really fantastic but at the same time so brutal. It makes you want to hate his character because he is so terribly bad with no feelings or remorse.

Steven Bauer (Scarface, Thief Of Hearts) is fantastic as Taj, the Afghan leader who helps Jason Patric take control of the tank and the evil George Dzunda. He delivers all of his lines Pasto (an Afghan dialect) and did an excellent job at it. Bauer is an excellent actor who has never had a chance to play the really good roles. He has done a lot of B-movies that went straight to video but his performance in "The Beast" is one of his finest. In reality (my opinion) the reason why this movie is so well done is largely in part because Steven Bauer and George Dzunda are fantastic in their roles. See this movie if you can it is one not to be missed.

Rating:
Summary: Great flick; despite the tactical inaccuracies
Review: This movie is great! ... I have since watched it over and over. Some reviews I have read focus on the tactical mistakes and lack of a "real" Russian helicopter in the film. The interesting thing about this is, war is chaotic. Sometimes tactics go out the window when faced with flying bullets. Even if the Russians used Motorized Rifle units as escorts for their armor, there's no saying that armor NEVER ventured out on their own. Heck, maybe this armored unit was part of a larger force that was simply making a reconnaisance-in-force. Also, the helicopter used in the movie was NOT that much different than the Mi-8 which, as it turns out, looks exactly like the one in the movie. If you don't believe me, check it out. Anywho, being a veteran and knowing how the rules of war are almost always broken, the so-called tactical "mistakes" made in the movie are easily overlooked. The main point of this movie is to give the viewer a feeling of the brutality of war and how it changes ordinarily sane people, into first monsters, callous to their nature, then fearful refugees to the carnage they created. This movie is both entertaining and yet, emotionally invoking. You get the sense that the real "enemy" is not the Mujahadeen pursuers, but the maniacal tank commander, driving his men to the brink of destruction. The last thing I'd like to say about this movie is its WONDERFUL soundtrack. The music definitely sets the mood. Now, if only I could find the soundtack. Arista records doesn't seem to know where to find it. I wish I knew!

Buy this movie, you won't be disappointed!