“The Beast Within” opens with a line from an old proverb, “There are two wolves inside all of us … they are always at war.” The Two Wolves legend has often been attributed to a Cherokee elder speaking to his grandson. It’s essentially a metaphor for the inner conflict where the two wolves represent doing good and doing evil. When asked which wolf would win, the elder responded, “The one you feed.”
That proverb emphasizes a compelling struggle that “The Beast Within” attempts to explore through the guise of an old-fashioned werewolf movie. But at its heart, this patient and measured horror thriller has human interests that stretch well beyond genre. Father-daughter relationships, loss of innocence, and generational trauma are just some of the thematic through-lines that become easier to spot as the story unfolds.
Director Alexander J. Farrell, who wrote the script alongside Greer Ellison, seems to do a lot with a little. I’m guessing some choices were made with budget constraints in mind. Other choices simply show good instincts. The small cast and fairly limited setting certainly help with cost. But they’re also fitting for this particular story. And we don’t see much in terms of creature effects because Farrell keeps his lycan offscreen for the vast majority of the movie. It may seem like a shortcut, but it effectively works in the story’s best interest.
Set mostly in and around a remote country manor, the bulk of the story is told through the perspective of a young girl named Willow (played by the talented Caoilinn Springall – also great in this year’s “Stopmotion”). Willow has an unexplained respiratory disorder that forces her to use oxygen whenever she gets anxious. And that’s often in their troubled household. Her mother, Imogen (Ashleigh Cummings) tries her best to shield her daughter from a dark family secret. But the more the curious and observant Willow secretly probes, the closer she gets to a painful truth.
While Willow has a close bond with her mother and grandfather Waylon (James Cosmo), her relationship with her father Noah (Kit Harington) is more complicated. She both adores and fears him – conflicting feelings stemming from Noah’s unpredictable manner which vacillates between loving and seething. But no one wants to talk about the real issue, preferring to keep Willow in the dark despite her father’s growing volatility, especially during a full moon.
Noah lingers on the periphery for much of the film, adding an uneasy presence that Farrell takes advantage of on multiple occasions. It allows us to hone in on the characters and the intricacies of their relationships which is ultimately what the movie is most interested in. But it also adds a thick layer of tension than only intensifies as the inevitable revelations come to light. Harington ably embodies each of the “two wolves” while young Springall does a good job earning our empathy.
By the end, the story’s allegory may be a bit on-the-nose, but it’s plenty impactful. Farrell adds some subtle twists and the mystery is made more effective by his ability to plant questions in our minds. Meanwhile cinematographer Daniel Katz cements the tone with his clever framing, moody interiors, and beautiful yet ominous drone shots of the countryside. It’s crucial to connecting us to this slow-paced yet savvy family story that both demands and rewards our patience. “The Beast Within” is now available on VOD.
VERDICT – 3.5 STARS
Keith & the Movies 