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I have to admit that my oldest daughter and I love to watch shark movies. It seems that within the last few years, there have been a deluge of shark thrillers flooding the market with some standing out and some, well, not so much. We love the bad ones with really piss poor CGI and acting that is on the level of reality shows (Sharknado anyone?) but every now and then, there is a shark pic that rises above the rest to deliver an immersive and viscerally raw viewing experience for the audience. Filmmaker Kiah Roache-Turner, who is responsible for the over the top and bombastically awesome Wyrmwood films, has crafted one of the best shark thrillers in years, ripping from real life events to combine a war film with some ferocious bite. Beast of War is a slow burn, dread inducing WWII pic that hits the audience in the face with take no prisoners imagery and violence that harkens back to the days when horror and war films weren’t afraid to take a chance and go for the throat.
Beast of War is taken from a real-life event that happened during the last great war where a group of Australian soldiers were forced to face a truly horrifying and unbelievable situation when their ship is sunk by enemy planes. Fresh out of boot camp, a handful of soldiers not only had to brave the unforgiving elements and tracer fire from enemy planes, but they also had to fend off nature’s most complete and lethal killing machine. With no resources and a small floating piece of wreckage to stand on, they must battle a demon of the sea who has made it it’s sole mission to kill each and every one of them.
The movie is just under ninety minutes long, but Turner manages to shoehorn in enough of an intro that we get to spend time with these men during their harsh boot camp so when the killing begins, you are unquestionably affected by it and want to see as many of these men survive as possible. The cast, which is almost unknown to those outside of Australia, are spot on and each player delivers something to the proceedings, and it works in the film’s favor that they are virtually unknown because it’s like we are watching actual soldiers go through this daunting survival mission.
The cast is led by Mark Coles Smith who plays Leo and he is at the heart of the story and the one we get the most backstory with. Leo has actually and unfortunately experienced the horrors of a shark attack that took someone very close to him away. It is this backstory that deepens Leo’s persona and when he gets entangled in this horrific situation, the audience relates to him. Rounding out the rest of the main cast are Will (Joel Nankervis), a younger soldier that Leo takes under his wing, and Des (Sam Delich), a hateful man who wouldn’t put it past himself to sacrifice another to save his own hide. Delivering these normal but true tropes in the cast is the stuff that most war movies deal out but it is essentially true as these types of characters are usually in a platoon of men in any army.
Even though there are the usual suspects in terms of character types, Turner never plays it safe with how things unfold with the men. When you think of one thing with a particular character something happens later on to switch your feelings and it is this form of storytelling that also separates the movie from shark and war films of the past. I commend Turner with taking chances and making me think one thing while all the while something else is at play. I won’t spoil anything, so you’ll just have to see for yourself, and I strongly suggest you do if you’re looking for something off the beat and trail for the genre.
This is definitely a shark thriller that sinks its teeth into the genre and when it seems like all we were getting from the shark genre were a bunch of scantily clad vacationers no one cares about getting chomped by a great white, this one has real meaning and substance behind it. It also goes for the jugular right away with gore and violence that is on par with some of the best horror movies around and because of this, Beast of War beats true and pays homage to these men by not cowering away and playing it safe for the run time.
I must applaud indie filmmakers because so many times, they turn out product that is top tier with limited means, resources and time and so many times these movies are better than what’s playing at the local metroplex. Turner is no exception and if you know his work with the absurdly awesome Wyrmwood films, then you know he is a true talent and with his latest, he flips the script and goes from off the wall to brutal reality almost flawlessly. This film is an uneasy watch but that is the best compliment I can jive it as it takes all the savagery of Jaws and merges it with the manmade horrors of war. It’s unrelenting in its execution and never lets you take a breath until the very end.
The special effects are a best combination of CGI and practical and that is what really stands this one out. The war planes look authentic, and the shark itself is practical just like Bruce was back in the 70’s but this one goes for a more demonic demeanor that is soul shattering terrifying. The shark here resonates a pure tone and look of unsaturated evil with grey tinted eyes that give it a lifeless yet supernatural persona along with some pretty bad ass scars. A movie lives and dies by how real and savage the shark is and Turner and his crew have built one of the most uncomfortable looking predators of the sea in recent years. In short, this shark looks like it’s been through some shit.
Aside from the shark plight, we also get a few fight sequences to supplement the thrills and the ending throws in a curve ball as the men also have to deal with the dangers of man along with nature. This is Turner once again flipping the narrative on its head and without giving it away, I will say that it adds to the tension and horrifying realities that the good guys are still in a warzone. Unlike the protagonists in other shark pictures, these soldiers have a lot more to contend with. The pacing is tight and taunt and sweat should drip from your head if you become invested and there’s no reason I can see as to why you wouldn’t be.
Overall, Beast of War is a true indie cinema triumph as it combines the best, and worse, of shark thrillers and war films. It’s an unrelenting and feverishly paced film that never winces from the horrors of what man and nature are capable of and it packs quite a wallop for it speedy running time. The cast, especially Mark Coles Smith, are perfect in their execution of new recruits thrown into a savage and unforgiving situation and the violence and gore are exclamation points on the film that never lets you breathe. The visuals are both beautiful and raw with the shark instilling a true sense of dread and fear. A real contender for a top ten best of list and it grips the audience in a visceral and ferocious environment that resonates pure dread and fear.
VERDICT: 4 Out of 5 Stars
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Watch my exclusive interview with filmmaker Kia Roache-Turner as we talk Beast of War!
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