The Beast Within is a horror genre film from writer/director Alexander J. Farrell, who tackles familial abuse and trauma as a werewolf tale. Making the jump from documentaries to fictional stories, Farrell goes deep into the story of a transformation that happens during every full moon with William (Kit Harrington) as it is seen through the eyes of his young daughter Willow (Caoilinn Springall). The film is a slow burn that doesn’t rely too heavily on jump scares but more on the psychological effects of children going through a difficult relationship with their parents. The werewolf curse just adds to the story of domestic violence that takes place in an isolated home that becomes a repeated cycle.
In The Beast Within, a family lives in a small cottage deep in the woods where Noah’s wife Imogen (Ashleigh Cummings) prepares for his transformation every month in secret. Once the full moon rises, Imogen takes William to a secluded ruin and chains him up before something horrifying takes place. Even though they try to hide the truth from their daughter, she keeps asking questions. Imogen’s father Waylon (James Cosmo) also tries to help, but is in constant fear for her and his granddaughter’s safety around Noah. On top of that, Willow also has a condition where she relies on an oxygen tank to breathe whenever she’s in emotional distress or has a hard time breathing. That is until Willow starts to follow them one night that she ultimately discovers the truth that she has been kept from all these years.
The movie isn’t your traditional horror film dealing with a classic monster. What the director focuses on is the sense of danger that creeps up during every moon cycle. There is also not just the physical transformation but the mentality of it as audiences see William change from a loving father and husband to a violent monster of a man. It’s that primal violent instinct that comes to the surface from his innocent face. This is something that ends up manifesting when we see the relationship between him, Willow, and Imogen unfold over time. The film explores themes like family, toxic relationships, and how secrets can tear families apart.
The Beast Within builds on tension in this slow-paced horror film thanks to the incredible acting by Harrington and the cast. Whenever we see the former Game of Thrones star on screen, he does well with his facial expressions as he changes from being sweet to a violent person full of rage in an instant. Even though we hardly ever get to see much of his physical transformation into the beast, we do see him change in his behavior much like a werewolf. The one that truly helps bring the story alive is Springall’s performance as his daughter. She carries the plot as audiences see what she is witnessing as she goes through the emotional and physical trauma of her family’s secrets. A lot is asked of her when she is on screen, but she is very effective as a young actress when it comes to her character’s development.
Farrell and his team have crafted a metaphorically creepy horror film that relies on atmosphere and performances to bring in the scares. Despite it being a folk horror story, there are certainly real-world elements that help keep things grounded. Shot on location at the Harewood Castle, the cinematography is great as it shows the ruggedness of the interiors and exteriors of this place up in the Highlands. The film takes a slow approach in building up the classic horror troupes and keeps going at this pace halfway through the film. It stays very dark and moody as the domestic relationships start taking an ugly turn.
Even though the film may grab the audience’s attention, it feels more like waiting for something big to happen. The story isn’t always clear on what’s going on, but it does keep everyone invested in the family drama that unfolds from the beginning to the movie’s thought-provoking climax. There’s a lot to unpack, with some metaphoric images like the nightmarish visions that Willow keeps having in her dreams about her father and herself. Willow’s constant need for an oxygen tank also reflects on being trapped in this condition and looking for an escape, like her father’s abusive behavior. There’s a lack of horror, but the movie is often framed like a suspenseful thriller where danger is creeping up at every turn.
The Beast Within is a story of a family on the verge of crumbling down and dealing with a dark curse. It is more of a character study, so those who hoped for a traditional horror film might be slightly disappointed, but if anyone is looking for a tense and built-up family drama, this might be what they seek. The werewolf portion of the story delves deep into the duality of human nature, which the movie displays well. The artistic approach with The Beast Within will captivate audiences who prefer to use their imagination and interpretation to see what’s going on. Even with its flaws, seeing the horror unfold through a child’s eyes offers a fresh take on the werewolf story.
The Beast Within is now playing in theaters.
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