The Beast Within (2024) Delivers Middling Werewolf Horror and Half-Baked Metaphors for Abuse

Title: The Beast Within

First Non-Festival Release: July 26, 2024 (Theatrical Release)

Director: Alexander J. Farrell

Writer: Greer Ellison, Alexander J. Farrell

Runtime: 97 Minutes

Starring: Kit Harrington, Ashleigh Cummings, Caoilinn Springall

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

Werewolves have long been used in cinema as a metaphor for life-changing transformations that make one feel monstrous. Some examples include contracting HIV/AIDs, discovering or coming to terms with one’s sexuality, or even falling victim to substance use disorder. The Beast Within explores how this dynamic can be implemented in abusive relationships.

Willow (Caoilinn Springall) lives in the forest with her mother, Imogene (Ashleigh Cummings), and father, Noah (Kit Harrington). It’s a lonely life but the family has each other to get through the tough times. Unfortunately, Noah has a secret that he keeps from Willow, one that could spell danger for their family. As the quiet life they once lived crumbles around them, Willow must face off against her father when he takes on a monstrous transformation.

An anemic crossroads of domestic abuse drama and werewolf film, The Beast Within lacks the bite for either.

A vicious cold open sets the scene for a dark, brutal werewolf horror, the likes of which are largely absent from the remaining story in The Beast Within. The first few moments of The Beast Within portend a much better experience than it actually delivers. Almost everything that works to make the prologue pop evaporates once the film focuses in on them. What follows is a slow-burn horror drama that gets lost in its dissection of abuse dynamics within a family.

Throughout its narrative, The Beast Within scatters various indicators of abuse without truly diving into the themes fully. Depicting abuse in a typical fashion, Noah’s offenses play out in a stereotypical way. Demands for care and affection, outbursts borne from unregulated emotions, and an inability to take accountability for his own actions characterize Noah. Spot on for an abuser, even if the relationships between the characters shift throughout the film without much direction. Abuse can look like many different things and expecting films to reflect all realities at once is a mistake. It is, however, fair to demand interesting, compelling, and complex characters above all else, and The Beast Within fails here.

Stiff performances and a lack of chemistry make it difficult to sell the heavy material. Kit Harrington’s Noah feels one-note, focusing on his Jekyll-Hyde persona to highlight how unpredictable parental abuse can manifest. The high highs and even lower lows don’t translate well to screen. It doesn’t help that the rest of the cast is fine but not necessarily going as big as Harrington. The bigger problem is that the emotions just aren’t there, and it becomes increasingly obvious as the film gets closer to its finale.

All isn’t lost in the forest, as The Beast Within stuns with atmosphere and solid special effects work, ensuring it hits the right vibe for the story it tells. Noah’s werewolf transformation isn’t anything spectacular, but it still looks as menacing as one would want for a werewolf film. Typically, the death knell for any creature feature, The Beast Within does well to use its beast intentionally. It does gets messier in the third act when it all comes to a boil though. Moody, largely thanks to the beautiful forest location, and broken-down castle location, The Beast Within is rich in atmospheric detail. It doesn’t fix its story issues or lack of tension but it makes it watchable.

Despite all the ingredients present, The Beast Within fails to make much of an impact in a sub-genre desperate for new blood. Middling in nearly every respect, this werewolf drama folds under the pressure of its ambitious commentary. A lack of direction in the storytelling and mismatched chemistry amongst the cast makes it harder to stay invested. Any attempts to bring lycanthropy to the big screen are appreciated even if The Beast Within has a howl is stronger than its bite.

Overall Score? 5/10