The Beast (1988)

2 stars out of 4

The Bottom Line:

Though The Beast may be worth a look simply because there are few Western movies about the Soviet war in Afghanistan, the film itself is not terribly impressive; capable enough for the majority of its running length, the complete anti-climax of an ending does much to harm the film. December 20, 2008

Epic cat and mouse in 1981 Afghanistan

Based on a play, The Beast tells a story of a war in Afghanistan in the 1980s that most people may know from a much different movie, Rambo 3. In 1981 in Afghanistan, a Russian armored column destroys an Afghan village. One tank is left behind to "clean things up" and when trying to catch up to the column, becomes separated and hopelessly lost in a valley the locals call 'the valley of the jackal' with one way in and one way out. The local Afghan rebels put their differences aside and band together to destroy this lone tank lost in the desert. The war between Russia and Afghanistan in the 80s hasn't been dealt with much through film, but this movie sets the bar pretty high. Characters on both sides are presented so you really get a feel of what everyone is going through along with their beliefs and what drives them, some it's greed, others faith, and other just survival. On a simpler level, it's an exciting movie and one that kept me interested until the very end. Little known, but a must-see movie.

Leading a very capable cast, George Dzundza, maybe most well known for his part in tv's Law and Order, plays Daskal, the tank commander trying to get to safety. Daskal lies somewhere between driven soldier and insane and paranoid stopping at nothing to get his tank to safety. In his first movie after The Lost Boys, Jason Patric plays Korverchenko, the tank driver who's gotten in trouble in the past for thinking too much and because of that, clashes with everything Daskal orders. Dzundza and Patric's conflict is believable and really propels the story along. Steven Bauer is very good as Taj, the leader of the Afghan rebels pursuing the tank across the desert. The rest of the tank's crew includes Stephen Baldwin as Golikov, the young soldier torn between orders and what's right, Don Harvey as Kaminski, the gunner who blindly does what he's told, and Erick Avari as Samad, the Afghan soldier navigating the tank. Kabir Bedi also stars as Akbar, Taj's uncle who he seeks advice from.

The DVD is a bit disappointing when it comes to presentation and special features. The movie's presented in pan-n-scan, a clean one at least, but it would have been nice to see the movie and its Israeli filming locations in widescreen. Special features include talent bios on some of the cast and trailers for three movies, but not one for The Beast. Not a great DVD, but a good deal for the price considering how good the movie is. Check The Beast out, you won't be disappointed! December 11, 2008

Propaganda movie

This is not a movie on a war, does not provide any idea what is real war is.
This is a propaganda movie, which is astonishingly disgusting trick.
Perhaps, making movies on Guantanamo Bay detention camp, numerous prison cams or like would appeal to some. However, look for say WWII chronics to get the idea what is going on. Yes, it would nice to disclosure conduct of mentally-sick "coalition" soldiers or "soldier-of-fortune" (say DoD-hired contractors). But making "art" and "propaganda" movies, as this one, is hypocrisy. It is up to the movie-producers to judge how Islamic war-lords, fundamentalists, drug-producers & dealers should be posed as "freedom fighters". Do you want to get ~10% of truth what the war is? See 9th Company (Russian: «9 ðîòà»), 2007 Russian/Finnish movie to be scared on war and be against any war and be careful on judgments (and be aware on power of propaganda movie). December 5, 2008

Soviet Surfers

Lots of good stuff said about this film...
Just wanted to comment about couple reviews that
I have seen elsewhere complaining that the crew
(except for their commander) talks like a bunch
of American surfers...

This is deliberate. We are made to identify with the
crew (their culture *is* closer to ours than the Afghans)
so that we can join the abandoned crewman as he is
submerged in an alien culture.

The young tribal chief is confused himself...
at the end saying "Are you a devil or an angel..."

In the end the Russian chooses his own culture,
flawed as it is... and choppers out... but he
takes the native rifle with him... showing that he will
never forget those who showed him "nanawatai" (mercy)

JFO December 3, 2008

A great war movie

"The Beast" is a great war film whose action takes place in 1981 in the second year of conflict between the Soviet army and the free people of Afghanistan.

For those who have known the conflict at the time (thank you to Afrane), where Afghans were fighting with rudimentary hunting weapons against the second army in the world (after the USA), the fierceness of the fighting is well shown.

The camera in the bowels of the hunted tank unveils an increasingly thick sweat atmosphere produced by the fear to be killed.

The show is to go even if does not escape some guns classic Hollywood: good on the one hand, the bad guys on the other. I recommend this film as a glimpse to the present fate US soldiers and their comrades of war face in the mountains of Afghanistan. Deep sorrow. September 8, 2008

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