The Beast, starring Léa Seydoux and George MacKay, marks Bertrand Bonello’s intriguing entry into science fiction. This dimension-hopping epic intertwines themes of incel culture, fortune tellers, and love in the digital age.
Unlike its literary inspiration from Henry James’ 1903 novella, The Beast in the Jungle, this film explores futuristic ideas like sex robots and AI. Bonello’s story grapples with fear and love across three timelines: the 1910s, 2014, and 2044.
Modern Themes and Aesthetic
Bonello mentions that despite the deep themes, he “tries to be pop” to appeal to younger audiences. As he put it, It’s the story, the editing, the music, the form.
Seydoux’s character Gabrielle bathing in black slush echoes modern experimental visuals. Scenes alternate between timelines showing Seydoux as an upper-class Parisian woman and later engaging with futuristic technologies.
An Intriguing Narrative Structure
In 2014, Seydoux’s character sees Louis as a lost boy who channels his fear of love into hate. These scenes highlight current societal issues. MacKay’s performance as Louis includes a significant sequence where he records vlogs on an iPhone.
The movie’s shot-for-shot emulation of real-life vlogger content provokes complex reactions from audiences. As Bonello describes Louis’s videos,Maybe it’s for protection. You laugh, rather than be terrified by the horror of his words.
Creative Challenges and Development
Bonello began envisioning The Beast as a TV series back in 2017. However, after multiple drafts and re-imagining scenes like Gabrielle as a lesbian stand-up comedian in 1936, he evolved it into a feature film.
Foray into Future Fears
This film reflects our contemporary anxieties about technology’s influence on human relationships. Bonello states,You have a hammer, you can put a painting on a wall, but you can hit someone on the head
, highlighting the dual nature of AI as possibly beneficial yet fundamentally troubling.
The Beast closes uniquely with a QR code popping up instead of traditional end credits, symbolizing our technologically intertwined lives.
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