The Beast (1996) User Reviews

Cheesy, but a hoot

[ddidee · 7/10 · 15 October 2005]

Yeah, it's Jaws on a budget, but just pop the corn, sit back, and have a little fun. I have sat through some atrocious horror movies (some of those in the 1950's and 60's are just awful), but this one is quite good for it's genre. Go ahead and root for the calamari, if you must! But she is protecting herself and her child as any mother would do in the same situation. The scenery is gorgeous, too--all shot in Australia, I think. I am not big on his love interest...she is a bit bland, but I do like Dana, his character's daughter. She was very believable and quite sweet. (Has she been in anything else?) Whip Dalton is my kind of guy: earthy, but charming...besides, anything with Billy Petersen in it is worth watching.

Most certainly not "Jaws", but there is some fun to be had.

[Aaron1375 · 6/10 · 1 August 2009]

This movie really lets you in on a little secret...other than "Jaws", there is really nothing original about Peter Benchely's work. He basically uses the same plot elements in everything he writes the only thing he does differently is substituting sea creatures in for the shark from the hit "Jaws". This one though was somewhat fun to watch, a lot better than the horrid "Creature" that would come out a couple of years later. Why he titled this book "Beast" and not "Giant Squid" is beyond me, well maybe not. The latter just sounds stupid. Well that is what this movie is about, a super giant squid. Granted there is a bit of a twist in the middle of this one, but nothing to great of note if you have seen the movie "Jaws 3-D". The story is almost the same as "Jaws" except fishing and fisherman play a more prominent role and the beach is not used as much. Still, it has the typical mayor that will have his event or whatever no matter what evidence comes up to support closure or stopping of the event. My guess is Peter had a really bad run in with a mayor at some point in his lifetime. Still, there is enough to keep you entertained once. I would not really track down this movie to see it again.

Basically it's Jaws with a squid instead of a shark

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 22 November 2017]

THE BEAST was one of the big TV miniseries of 1996 and widely heralded as a follow up to JAWS. It's based on another Peter Benchley novel and is very similar in story and structure to the Spielberg classic, with the twist that now it's a giant squid terrorising a small coastal town. The TV movie feel means that this isn't particularly dangerous or frightening, but I found that there was enough interesting material to sustain the three-hour running time and it's pretty entertaining to boot.

The film boasts a good mix of characters, half of whom will get inked or swallowed by the climax, and some nice character actors in the mix. William Petersen is the hero who nobody listens to and Charles Martin Smith the antagonist in a suit. Best of the bunch is DARKMAN's Larry Drake as the drunken fisherman who steals all his scenes. The '90s-era CGI effects have dated badly, but the life-size squid effects are pretty decent and overall this is solid enough, if no classic.

What's the problem?

[Dante Hicks · 19 April 2001]

Very good version of Peter Benchley's novel 'Beast' about the arrival of a giant squid and the danger it presents to a small fishing community. Obvious references to Benchley's far more successful 'Jaws abound but the story remains as strong as ever, humans going up against a seemingly unstoppable sea creature to which anything but mortal fear would be an unusual reaction. While I personally disagree with a few of the editing decisions no one can deny that Charles Martin Smith's Graves is a better character than in the book and that William Peterson is perfectly cast as the hero Whip Dalton. Anyone who has read the book will be able to accept the smooth changes along with the rough and believe that this is a far-above average adaptation of any simple novel, especially one destined merely for TV.

not great like Jaws but worlds better than THE CREATURE

[john22900 · 7/10 · 17 September 2005]

First of all let me get one thing out of the way right up front. I like the actor William Petersen and I like his understated style of acting. He is never over-the-top and chews the scenery. He is also a very likable actor which is one reason why the CSI show is so popular. In fact, I think Petersen is such a good actor I would've really liked him to tackle the part of the lead character in the forthcoming adaptation of Don Brown's book which is going to star Tom Hanks instead which I believe is a colossal blunder of casting in my personal opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love Tom Hanks and his movies but for that part I think he is all wrong. But who knows he may prove me wrong.

Now getting back to THE BEAST. I mostly liked the film but besides the inevitable comparisons with Jaws, Tentacles and Orca, the fact remains the beast was not very believable and even worse not particularly scary. I don't know if posters remember an Ed Wood film from the 50's called BRIDE OF THE MONSTER. It starred Bela Lugosi as a mad scientist who lived in a laboratory on the suburbs of a small town. For recreation, he fed some of the local inhabitants to a giant squid or octopus he keeps in his basement. The climax involved Lugosi being hoisted on his own petard and it is still quite a sight seeing Lugosi flailing about in the arms of the octopus wrapping them around himself to make it appear the thing is crushing him to death. Laughable to say the least. While THE BEAST does not come close to that sort of ineptitude, the stock cliché characters and the unbelievability/incredulity of the beast is almost enough to sink what otherwise could have been a great movie. Not bad for a time waster but if you have Jaws watch it instead.

Hungry squid on the loose

[unbrokenmetal · 6/10 · 16 October 2020]

"The Beast" tells about the battle of a coast town against a giant squid. I liked the craftsmanship in the movie, a good script with likeable characters the audience cares for (hardly seen that in new monster flicks recently). Nobody acts really dumb, they all have their flaws and motivation. The story is very much "Jaws" by the numbers, though. First a few people disappear, then a whole boat, politicians and a billionaire run unnecessary risks to use the whole affair for their personal advantage. Despite the feeling of seen-it-all-before, good work. I watched the "uncut" TV version which is nearly 3 hours long.

A Three Hour Squid Movie!?!

[Coventry · 5/10 · 13 December 2009]

Well intended but pretty boring – especially since it's nearly three hours long – monster movie about a small fisherman community named Grace Point that has a bit of a sea creature problem. It starts with the disappearance of a young couple out on a sailing trip and then it takes an awful long time (again, this movie is freaking three hours long!) before anything remotely significant happens. Thanks to the discovery of one miserable little claw, however, highly respected fisherman Whip Dalton can derive they're up against a 60ft tall squid. With his knowledge, this guy should have been the assistant of Steve Irwin. Maybe then he would still be alive today! Anyways, because of the so-called "trap-fishing" that became quite popular in Grace Point, there's hardly any fish left near the coastal town and the octopus' natural source of food is as good as extinct. This leaves the creature no choice but to go after the inhabitants of Grace Point instead. Naturally, and in good old-fashioned "Jaws" tradition, the arrival of the squid coincides with the annual town's festival and there are obviously a lot of people that want to make tons of money on the account of the exceptionally large sea monster. Of course, you can't really blame writer Peter Benchley for ripping off "Jaws", as he himself was also the creator of "Jaws".

Since this is a three hour long movie (not sure if I emphasized that little detail already) there's also a whole lot of tedious, dreadful and irrelevant nonsense going on in this film. Multiple romantic sub plots, for example, involving the leading man's slow progress towards a first new relationship since the passing of his wife. Ironically enough, he eventually falls for a female coast guard member who isn't ready for a new lover in her life either. Whip Dalton's teenage daughter discovers the meaning of love for the first time in her life as well, and her story is actually hilarious if you're a cynical bastard who finds joy in the agony of others. Throughout the entire first half of the movie, this girl nags that she's stuck in a small fisherman town without cute boys, yet when she meets the oceanologist's young assistant and spends a few romantic days with him, he subsequently gets eaten by the squid. There, I just summarized altogether 60 minutes of running time for you.

The second half of the film is dragging and dull, with overlong and unnecessary sequences and a sub plot that is directly stolen from "Orca – the Killer Whale" (another "Jaws" imitation) suggesting that the octopus is killing with a grudge. For you see, a couple of over-anxious hunters claimed they eliminated the monster, whereas they only killed a baby species. In the second half of the film, mommy returns with a vengeance. The make-up effects and squid models are quite good, especially the baby-squid corpse that floats around on the water surface throughout the entire second part. Decent acting performances and good casting decisions as well, with Charles Martin Smith ("The Untouchables") as the obnoxious bureaucrat mayor and Larry Drake ("Darkman", "Dr. Giggles", "Dark Night of the Scarecrow") as the sleazy, drunken and loud-mouthed troublemaker in town. "The Beast" certainly isn't a bad film, but I just wished I watched the short and simple version instead.

Slow Jaws-like movie featuring a giant squid.

[OllieSuave-007 · 6/10 · 11 April 2015]

This is a made-for-TV movie that somewhat follows the same plot element of Jaws, but instead of featuring a gigantic Great White Shark, it features a gigantic squid. It takes place off the coast in a place called Graves Point, where divers vanish, and sea biologist Dr. Whip Talley (William Petersen) investigates.

The special effects were pretty good and the suspense of the menacing tentacled creature keeps you on the edge of your seat at times. However, the pacing in the plot is a little slow and ***spoiler ahead, but doesn't give away ending*** the creature in my opinion does not appear enough and when it is, you could hardly see it ***spoiler ends***.

There is also limited action and lots of all-talk. However, it is still pretty suspenseful and you could see it at least once for the fun of it.

Grade C

Beast on a budget

[Ripe Peach · 1/10 · 1 April 2001]

Oh my. Where do you go after you've started with a frenzied crescendo? In the case of "The Beast", you round up a cast of has beens and never-will-be's, and sail round and round in circles for two and a half hours, feeding Red Shirts to the killer calamari with monotonous regularity.

To be fair, some of the characters border on being almost two dimensional, and the rubber monsters do have a certain charm. In fact, I was cheering the poor things on, because there are no humans in this piece of quota dross worth identifying with.

And yet even though every character and scene was entirely predictable, I found myself watching the whole thing from start to finish, cringing and sighing all the way. So for that, it deserves a comment and a whole 1/10.

I liked this movie

[bilborough64 · 7/10 · 21 May 2009]

This is not a Oscar winner by a long shot. It is pretty predictable. Good guys kill beast that is terrorizing a shoreline community. The hero is a widower named "Whip Dalton" played by William Petersen. Dalton has teenage daughter Dana, (Missy Crider). There is a love interest, Lt. Kathryn Marcus(Karen Silas) of The US Coast Guard. There is the usual bad guy Schuyler Graves(Charles Martin Smith) and his greedy cohorts, Dr. Herbert Talley(Ronald Guttman) and Osborne Manning(Denis Arndt). Crider gave a sincere portrayal of Dana and William Petersen was great as the ship's captain and was believable. One might even believe he belonged there.

I think the saving grace of this movie is the chemistry between the actors. Petersen and Crider fit perfectly as father and daughter. Karen Silas portrayal of Lt. Marcus was flat made me grind my teeth as she spoke feminist rhetoric that a woman has to be twice as good as a man to get accepted, which may be true depending on who you talk to.

The one thing I did notice was that the movie felt like it had no director and was left it's own devices.

All in all this is a harmless movie that you can let your ten year old watch without supervision, though you might want to watch it as well.

I did like this movie, but I'm still trying to decide if I want to buy it or not.

the book was better!

[vmorris9386 · 1/10 · 30 October 2005]

i read the Peter Benchley book The Beast a few years ago. When they came out with the t.v. movie, I thought "Wow! maybe it'll be like the book." Boy was I wrong! This worthless piece of dung can't even be described. These script writers must have been stoned to make the movie out like this. There are some strange going-ons in this small harbor town. A giant squid is attacking the locals, so the town officials hire a drunken, idiotic boat captain to kill the beast. Personally, I think they should have left it alone. It probably would have died of boredom after watching its rendering in this crap-fest. Trust me, go to your local library, and read the book. Much better!

Peter Benchley should be proud.

[vip_ebriega · 8/10 · 9 February 2007]

My Take: Enjoyable, made-for-TV monster movie.

After watching "Jaws" and "The Beast", I could conclude that Peter Benchley should be proud when his novels translated well when filmed. I've heard many bad reviews about this movie, mainly because it was loosely based on Benchley's bestseller. But, hey, this is a movie. Not everything has to go by the book. Directors and screenwriters have to add a couple of twists from the novels. okay, a lot of twists, but this has been a case in many Hollywood movies, and some turn up to be very good, why can't this? The plot is quite like the plot for sci-fi monster movies, a hungry creature makes snacks out of unwary victims, and a good guy tries to stop it, while a money-hungry guy tries to capture it and put it on display. But still, that kind of plot is what makes this kind of films really good, and "The Beast" uses it effectively.

The performances are fine. William L. Petersen (from "C.S.I." fame) is okay as a the hero Whip Dalton (the surname was Darling in the novel). Charles Martin Smith is fine as the profit-hungry town owner Schuyler Graves (the Liam St.John character from the novel). Creature effects were great and Don Davis' score is terrific.

So I would still recommend it, although not as good as "Jaws" was, it is still a very effective B-style sci-fi sea-monster movie.

TV movie rating: **** out of 5.

Aussie Jaws from the nineties !!!

[elo-equipamentos · 6/10 · 23 January 2020]

Presented as mini-series this Aussie picture is a facsimile of the Jaws, the beast is giant squids, how it is possible stays on science fiction imaginative ground, they follow the same plot and screenplay, unwary divers dying by the beast attack, the rogue Mayor (Charles Martin Smith) obstructing the investigation, the fisherman hero Whip Dalton (William Petersen) was the first to realize that something is wrong, the fish are missing, several cages have been destroyed, many clues point out somewhat is odd, meanwhile appears a Lt. Kathryn Marcus a single woman whose Whip has a bit love interest, also we have the fabulous crook the fisherman Lucas Coven (Larry Drake), plenty of those endless boring clichés, often on slow pace, enjoyable at least, however not original!!!

Resume:

First watch: 1998 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD-R / Rating: 6.25

Not bad, but, also, not good

[cyberknight · 3/10 · 6 July 2017]

It's impossible not to compare this (or most water monster films) with "Jaws" (1975). Considering "The Beast" was produced about twenty years after the former, we start seeing the problems.

First obvious problems are the special and the visual effects. "Jaws" went with animatronics, which caused so much trouble on pre- and production stages that the whole script had to be remade, turning "just another monster film" into an all-time classic thriller. In "The Beast", they tried to show the monster as much as they could, using both rubber animatronics and visual effects. Usually, it works fine enough, but there are times when things go bad, like at the very ending of the first episode (it's a two parts series), when the "beast" jumps out of water, for no reason, to hit a buoy. The stop-motion used for that scene looked really dated, like ED-209 on original "RoboCop" (1987).

The second problem is the pace and the film run time. They could have cut a lot of drama out without hurting the story, reducing its run length of almost 3h and increasing its pace. There's even some romance, one so unnecessary that, after the beast is destroyed (yes, it's an American film, so it ends in a big explosion, but who couldn't have foreseen that), the film simply ends, without showing the surviving couple together or whatever.

Although the plot is interesting and the effects are fine, the film drags a lot, making it a one shot experience. There are no thrills or anything that makes it worth watching again. This is another of those films not too bad that have to be avoided, but not good enough to be watched more than once.

I'm no marine biologist, but . . .

[lazarillo · 11 December 2004]

This initially appears to be a televised version of author Peter Benchley ripping off his own book "Jaws". Actually though it's worse than that--if anything Benchley is actually ripping off "Jaws 3" (not to mention the infamously crappy 70's film "Tentacles" which was itself a rip-off of "Jaws"). Like "Tentacles" this TV movie has a giant squid terrorizing a seaside community. But it also borrows a ridiculous conceit from "Jaws 3" by having TWO giant squid--the first an over-sized baby and the second the even larger mother out for revenge. Well, I'm no marine biologist but even I know that sharks and squids lay eggs and then abandon them and wouldn't know their offspring from any other shark or squid, so neither would be too motivated by revenge. But, much like the movie, let's leave logic aside.

As in "Jaws" the main appeal is supposed to be the cast. But this movie doesn't have the stellar cast of "Jaws", or even "Jaws 3" or "Tentacles" for that matter. William Peterson is okay in the lead, but his usual intense, overly serious performance, which works in a movie like "Manhunter" or "To Live and Die in LA", just seems goofy in a movie like this. Larry Drake and Charles Martin Smith are better in smaller roles which they seem to take a lot less seriously. I have always suspected that Missy Crider, who plays Peterson's daughter, is actually Amy Locane with her hair dyed red (think about it--has anyone ever seen the two of them together?). Of course, Peterson also has an improbable love interest who works for the coast guard (so the American TV audience wouldn't think he was gay or anything), and his best friend and partner is black to show that even in remote Washington state fishing villages racial harmony has been achieved. The squid looks more real than the one in "Tentacles" (but then again so does your average dust mop). But it's just not enough to carry a three and a half hour movie.

the uncut version

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 21 May 2008]

i wasn't impressed with the condensed version of the movie.however,this extended version(with over forty minutes of added footage) was miles better in my opinion.we get more character development and get to to know the people involved I thought,the the beast was pretty impressive to look at,and would definitely inspire fear in me if i ran across it in real life.the CGI was good for its time.William Peterson(Pre CSI)stars,along with Charles Martin Smith,Larry Drake and Karen Silas.i think this movie was much more exciting than the edited version.the music is used to good effect here.i also liked the fact that they didn't reveal the beast completely right away.we do see glimpses of it before the big reveal,but jut enough to keeps us guessing.for me,this uncut version of the beast is a 7/10

Flat-packed psychopathic animal thriller.

[DonWanton · 6/10 · 3 October 2023]

Peter Benchley swaps whitefish for calamari in this watchable TV mini-series event. The Beast is a flat-packed psychopathic animal thriller even idiots can assemble; unexplained events leave an ethnically homogenous coastal town in terror, the loathsome officials are in denial, all the dumbest people get it in the first act, and the humble hero does his life's work in one evening. This may sound drab, but much like flat-packed Scandinavian furniture made from sawdust it is also aesthetically pleasing and functional. William Petersen is charming and believable as a sullen fisherman but nobody's netting a Saturn award on this expedition.

Patchy At Best

[Theo Robertson · 4/10 · 27 June 2002]

THE BEAST starts off very well but that`s not too difficult , stick a couple on a dingy one dark night and let the audiance know there`s a man eating demon from your worst nightmare stalking about the water and you`ve got all the atmosphere and suspense you need , but it`s still a good start. Where THE BEAST falls down though is with its human characters who are bland stereotypes blandly played by actors who are better suited to soap operas, indeed I couldn`t help noticing that at least two of the cast were regulars in the Aussie soap HOME AND AWAY !

But this mini series really falls apart in the second half when the giant squid appears , it`s totally unconvincing and for some bizarre reason it seems to spend most of its time out the water where the audiance can see some very poor realisation . Not only that but it`s capable of making skreeching sounds too

This might have been a major success if we had a feature film with a good director , but since it lasts four hours we get tedious and unnecessary character backgrounds on people we don`t care about , I - and I expect everyone else - tuned in to see people getting torn limb from limb and devoured by a terrifying creature from the deep , not cyphers getting throttled by a giant rubber arm . The worst thing is we will probably never get to see a mega bucks big screen adaption of this novel which is a great shame. Looks like 20.000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA will remain the definitive giant squid movie

Steven Spielberg / John Williams rip-off

[Grand · 4/10 · 19 November 2003]

This movie should have been called "Jeff Bleckner and Don Davis Rip Off 'Jaws' in a Peter Benchley Rehash of 'Creature.'" When we see low-angle shots of swimmers at the surface, how hard is it to guess what's coming? When the music throbs as the camera zooms in, how hard is it to guess what's next? When Christopher gives away his lucky charm, how hard is to guess what's next? What a yawner!

Thank you NBC for ruining a great book

[david-345 · 1/10 · 3 August 2000]

Movie studios and TV networks seem to love destroying a good book. Case in point is this horrible adaptation of Peter Benchley's "Beast" (no "the" here). I read the original work when it first came out. It gave me a few sleepless night fearing that a giant squid would appear in my room at any moment. Beast did for me what Jaws did to many people before it. I've since gone back and read it again several times. That's the mark of an enjoyable book. But the word enjoyable cannot be applied to the TV miniseries. Your hopes are raised in the first ten minutes where the miniseries really mirrors the book but it's all to hell in a handbasket after that. Characters are completely changed from what they were in the original work, characters who also never appeared in the book are invented for the show. William Petersen must take the award for the "worst case of miscasting in this or any other century" for his his portrayal of Whip Darling. Petersen apparently knew as much and it is obvious he is terribly umcomfortable in the role. It's a shame because in the right part (say, Manhunter), Petersen is magnificent. But The Beast is not about magnificence. Monster fans will also be disapointed in the terrible squid effects. The squid in the book was a true monster, vicious, destructive and huge, 120 feet or more. One gets the feeling of a Godzilla sized creature in the climax when it destroys Whip's boat. But in the TV adaptation we get a squid (or squids, another change from the source material)that is fake looking and not at all impressive. Maybe it's the small screen or the poor effects work or both, but the squid comes off as phony and unmenacing. It's a shame that John Carpenter, who made it known that he would have liked to have visualized the book, didn't get his chance to make the movie. A film done by him would have been far more interesting, exciting and above all scary.

It sadly didn't end here. Not long after this, Benchley's Beast follow up, White Shark, was turned into something called either Creature or Monster. It would have been better served to be called "garbage." And so would The Beast.

Best of Giant Squid Films

[hillier_20 · 9/10 · 21 November 2006]

I first saw the movie in 1997 on TV. I loved the movie. Even though it is a made for TV movie, it was still awesome. They could have made some money in Theaters I'm sure. The Giant Squid is an amazing phenomena in its self. For all you movie lovers of Big Creatures or the unexplained... This ones for you. I would highly recommend watching. It's better than a lot of theatrical movies. Ever since I saw it, I am determined to one day get a big boat & go fishing for one of those Giant Squid. Who knows? It is an interesting movie. I didn't find it boring at all. With a little twist along the way... But you'll have to try & find it somewhere & watch it to find out. It is a hard movie to come across. Anyway, Andrew Hillier from St. John's NL, Canada gives it a Thumbs Up and a recommendation. Peace!

This movie actually hurts to watch

[Littljohn · 3/10 · 25 April 2005]

Peter Benchley what is wrong with you! What provoked you to make one of the single worst movies ever. But then one shouldn't expect to much from the man responsible for Creature. This movie makes me long for the Japanese Godzilla movies, because at least those made sense. Giant Squids are rare to begin with, that and the fact that an animal that large couldn't even begin to live in water that shallow. However no human ever seeing a giant squid alive didn't deter Benchley from having not one, but two giant squids. That just discredits his story. That and I have but one parting phrase for you, SQUIDS CAN'T ROAR! That is all. If you like pain, watch this movie. If you don't run as far away as you can.

A Very Enjoyable Movie

[hotwheelsking · 8/10 · 29 September 2004]

I don't agree with the other review at all I though even though they did mess with the story from the book if you forget about the book and concentrate on the movie itself its a pretty good movie.Sure it wasn't done on a high budget but its not cheesy and all in all the special effects are good.I think if you liked Jaws or any of its sequels you'd like this movie I certainly do.I thought it was a really good movie and I think that the squids look really good.I liked the fact that they kept them to a huge size but a size of squid the could exist.Its makes it seemed scarier to me.If you like monster movies or action movies like peter benchley's the deep I definitely think this is a movie for you.

An old school t.v. classic

[badmofu · 9/10 · 30 July 2008]

This film first aired on television when I was in middle school. They advertised it heavily and it turned out to be a really great film. It is a well produced television movie that will give you the creeps at certain points. One underwater scene near the beginning of the second half of the film will really get you going. This is the uncut version I am talking about.

There are several cuts of the film that are out there that are very incomplete. The version I have is the one that originally aired on t.v. If you are into things like jaws and King Kong, then you will get a lot of enjoyment out of this film. Some of the characters may be a bit corny but they are played well by some familiar character actors. William Petersen is especially good in the lead role. You really buy the weight he brings to the character. He seems like a genuinely good guy.

Not just for the special effects.

[mshambli · 9/10 · 5 July 2003]

Special effects are OK, but if you don't have some sort of story behind it, you might just as well watch fireworks.

This isn't the strongest story in the world, but it does have a number of good moments that only add to the problems the squid causes. A fat cat rich guy, a boat captain with more ethics than sense, and the desperation of town folk, in an area where the main business of fishing is starting to fail.

Most of the back story could be transposed to any location in the country have have strong grains of truth in it.

While a four hour mini series could have easily been told as well in two hours, it is still a good story. I'll watch it again.