Genres

Visitors Review

2012-05-22 09:25:19

pretty dan good

the movie i dont think could be much better except for the ending i think couldve been better and thats about it other then that it kicks ass

2012-05-21 14:39:53

Beauty over content

As an avid, British movie fan, the prospect of Figment's fourth movieouting, an adaptation of Alex Garland's stunning debut novel, excited megreatly. Despite all the negative publicity, things seemed promising.Trainspotting, Figment's finest work, was also an adaptation of a cultnovel, so I felt convinced that John Hodge (screenplay writer) would do agreat job. And I also felt that Leonardo was right for the role ofRichard;and let's not forget, a great actor. The trailers were wonderful: thecinematography appeared stunning, and the soundtrack soundedawesome.So, on the opening night, there I was, expecting something wonderful. Andsadly, I was disappointed. The film starts well, there's no denying it.For the first ten minutes or so I thought I was safe. But after that, itjust went downhill. Yes, the cinematography, and indeed the cast, were asbeautiful as the trailer promised. And yes, the soundtrack was superb -Porcelain, noteably. However, all the subtleties of character andcomplicated group dynamics which rendered the book so fascinating weretotally removed. Rather than opting for an intelligent adaptation of thebook, Figment had gone for a grossly over-simplistic sex-on-the-beachstory.I don't blame Danny Boyle (director). He does a fairly good job, and thereare moments in the film which undeniably capture the spirit of the novel.Iblame John Hodge, who I know is capable of so much more. But Trainspottingwas written for a British audience for reasons of artistic merit. TheBeachwas written to keep Fox and Leonardo DiCaprio happy. Their target audiencewas not cynical British fans of the book, such as myself, but for aworldwide market, and Leo's fans. But I still feel they should have struckmore of a balance.Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad film. From the interviews with Leo thatI read, he seemed to understand his character in the book very well. Andthe first and last handful of scenes are just right. Maybe I was wrong toexpect Figment to be able to condense everything in the book into a filmthat wouldn't last about two and a half hours, with rambling voiceovers andthe like, but I think if Figment were still making films for a smallaudience, and not trying to please the masses, this is what they would havedone. But having said that, if they were doing that, it's unlikely theycould have afforded to do what they have. So it's a no-win situation. Soit would appear that the process of making the film better reflects theimpossibility of achieving perfection than the film itself.

2012-05-18 01:42:45

don't expect films to stick to the book

okay so i got this dvd right after reading the book it's based on which i absolutely loved. of course the first thing you'll notice is the many changes the movie makes, i.e. richard is an american, sally is british, some characters are missing, the ending is different etc., but then again movies based on books aren't made to adhere to the book 100%, that's just not the way a visual art-form works. having leonardo walk around with a british accent would have been ridiculous, and having someone else play the part would have been just dumb since leonardo is great in this role (as he usually is).the extras are nice, first off director danny boyle's commentary is insightful but then again he is not the most enthusiastic commentator (see also my review for 28 days later). the deleted scenes (with optional commentary) are great fun, with the exception of the incredibly stupid 'stomp' scene which thank god was indeed cut out of the final film. most noteworthy for me is the scene where guillaume canet's character does his french monologue (he's my favorite character in the book and the movie, and of course he's the best looking guy in the movie as well!).now although i love the pure shores theme by all saints i have to say the video seems like it was made by an 8 year old. the theatrical trailers are nice but the tv spots are lame (as usual), and the storyboards are dull (i don't know why dvd's always come with them).my advice, to which i'm adhering to more strictly nowadays, is always read the book before seeing the movie. the beach is a great film with spectacular scenery and a good adapted story, but garland's original novel has way more depth. i also recomment the soundtrack cd (which i own) and the cd of the score (which i intend to get soon) by the brilliant angelo badalamenti (of twin peaks fame).

Mike Dwyer 2012-05-17 16:02:08

Good, but with blemishes.

When all's said and done, this is a good movie.Unfortunately, it's not *quite* top ten material.I like Leonardo Di Caprio - I have ever since Romeo and Juliet, althoughI've never seen Titanic (don't hit me!). In _The Beach_, he is good - hisacting was definitely up to standard. However, there is a sequence in themiddle of the movie where Danny Boyle (the director) seems to lose the plota little.Something happens to Di Caprio's mind (I'm not going to say what), butwe'renever really given an adequate explanation for it. It's like twenty minutesof the film was left on the cutting room floor.Having said that, it's an interesting take on the _Lord of the Flies_theme.Rather than order descending into chaos and savagery, it's more a movieabout what happens when there's too much order, and people become unable togive that order, that comfort, up. What happens when you're too scared toleave your comfort zone? Well, watch this movie and you'll find part ofthatanswer out.Altogether good, but not great. A seven and a half.

korona 2012-05-16 18:25:50

Concisely put: good

From an open minded perspective this movie was good.Cinematography was absolutely stunning, and any lack people felt in thisfilm was certainly made up for with the scenery. Plot loses itself at times,yet it's all interesting. The film's First half had me in it's fist, butthen the grip loosened later. Seeds laid in the earlier part of the moviestuck out and could not have been forgotten causing little suspense, andthereforeallowing correct assumptions to be made. Sound is amazing throughout. Thisbeacher gives it a 7

schweigermic-1 2012-05-16 08:32:02

Hmmm...

I am not sure if I feel the film is totally nonsense or just mediocre.The storyline is definitely crap:A guy who fills a backpackers room with his blood, crap.A small ganja field, which is guarded by heavily armed: how stupid. Asif they will fight with the army or police about some weed plants...Absolute nonsense.And this lots of pseudo wisdom talking. Crap. And the nonsense Club MEDvillage built by the carpenter with the motor saw. Crap.The most annoying was the pseudo Apocalypse Now sequences with DiCaprio in the forest. This film is not more than mediocre.

tylerschell 2012-05-12 20:23:17

Fantasy turned

A part of me wants The Beach to remain squeaky clean. I want the threeto arrive at The Beach, fill in the social gaps of the group, and livehappily ever after. I want them to end up blissfully ignorant ofeverything westernized and remain secluded in utopia. The other partwants the film to explore further its darkness and show the full dismayof The Beach and its main characters. I actually wish they wouldrelease this film on a choose your own adventure DVD. I could thenchoose to watch the movie in its Utopian and positive dream scape ofThe Beach arrival scenes, or deep into its dystopian and dysfunctionalnight terrors. They should release that.

triple8 2012-05-12 09:37:57

Should have been called-Lord of the flies-where they are now.

The Beach was a very odd movie experience for me. On the plus side, this wasvisually beautiful. What a feast for the eyes! Being a person who cravesvisually beautiful movies, that was a plus for me. Unfortunetly, the minusesare everything else. This movie was a letdown. It just was. It started outok, not really great but maybe passable.Strong visuals from the start.Haunting. I thought it was going to be very David Lynch at first, it hadthat feel. Decaprio plays the drifter who wants to find paradise for thesoul and he and a young french couple find it, in the form of a secludedbeach populated by strange people, which comes to include the three abovementioned individuals.Great premise-but the movie itself didn't pull it off. I'm still not surewhat The Beach was trying to do. Or say. WARNING-THESE NEXT LINES WILLCONTAIN PLOT SPOILERS:The whole thing went from, if not spellbinding, at least surreal and a bitarty, to "Lord of the flies-where they are now". It was almost ridiculous. Isoon tuned out, as the story became preposterous and almost a takeoff on amovie that I had seen in its ORIGINAL and loved dearly.I have read many reviews on the beach, none very good, and I honestlyunderstand why(although many times I don't agree with critics). This couldhave been SO SO good. It had an interesting story but ultimately dissolvedinto senselessness. The film didn't need to borrow from other films, itshowed some promise of early magic-although I never felt it was GREAT, I didfeel it had the potential to haunt me.So, in closing, I have to say I didn't much like this movie but I may,unlike with most films I don't like, give it a second viewing(maybe notalone this time.) I would like to see what friends have to say about thisone, so far nobody in my circle has seen it. It's a pity this disolved theway it did but if it turns out my feelings change on this one, I'll postanother review. Right now I'd have to say about The Beach-Almost haunting,beautiflly crafted visually, movie that had promise-but went the way ofabsurd, disjointed Lord of the flies gone wrong.

2012-05-06 10:15:12

GREATEST MOVIE EVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

many people in the U.S. hated the beach, either it was leo dicaprio who ruined the movie for them, or it was the fact they didnt like the story. well the people who hate this movie ARE FOOLS ! there is a much deeper meaning to the movie then just, island + pot-farmers = trouble , the story is way deeper , and if i have to tell you that, then u are not worthy of watching this great movie. The DVD can help non belivers understand the movie more , with its deleted scenes and director commentary , the extras in this video are great. overall this is a great DVD to buy if ur a fan of the film or not, if your not it might teach u something about the TRUE MEANING of the beach .

2012-05-06 07:49:09

Unappreciated and Underrated Gem!

Let me start by saying that The Beach has got to be one of the most underrated movies of 2000. Here and there people were saying "It was pointless" or "It was boring". The Beach first of all, is not a completely pointless movie. It actually displays kind of an interesting theme of the existence of paradise, one that many movies have never explored. And in terms of being boring, The Beach may not have tremendous explosions or boat chases, but if you watch it with an open mind, you will find it very captivating. Here's the story: Richard(Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young American traveler, seeking an adventure away from the beaten tourist path. Staying in Thailand, Richard meets joint-smoking, manic Daffy (Robert Caryle) who rattles on and on about a secret beach that is suppoedly flawless in all ways. The next morning, Richard finds that Daffy has killed himself, but left behind a map, showing the way to The Beach. After persuading Francoise(Virginie Ledoyen who is simply gorgeous) and her boyfriend Etienne(Guillaume Canet)to come along with him, the three embark ona journey to the island, where they find two different groups of people, flourish with one peacefully for weeks, and live life it's fullest. However, when Richard begins seeing Daffy everywhere he goes, he begins to discover that beyond the shores of paradise lies something darker and terrifying. The acting in the film is acceptable, but DiCaprio and Caryle steal the show as the unlikely duo of Richard and Daffy. The scenery is simply beautiful as well. As for mood, the film starts out as an adventure with occasional humor, but slowly transforms into a cross between a horror film and a thriller, growing darker, more disturbing, and much more violent. Many people say that the film cannot decide what it wants to be, but then again that fits with the theme of the story. Three travelers find what they believe is paradise and unexpectedly turn it into a living nightmare. Ignore all of the negative reviews and rent this movie. If it's made by the same team that did "Trainspotting" and "Shallow Grave", it can't be bad.

2012-05-04 09:10:55

Surprisingly Good. Very Good.

I had heard some bad opinions about The Beach before I saw it, so I must admit, I was not too keen on seeing it. However, The Beach was surprisingly good, although not faultless, it is a film that is interesting and ripe for discussion.Leonardo DiCaprio puts on one of his best performances since he played Jim Carrol in The Basketball Diaries, here he takes the role of Richard, an American backpacker in search of paradise. When he is staying at a hotel in Hong Kong, Richard meets Daffy (Robert Carlyle) who tells him of a secret beach in Thailand. Richard is convinced this is the place he has been looking for, and Daffy gives him a copy of the map that leads to the beach. However, Daffy commits suicide the next day, so Richard must find some other keen travellers. That is when he meets the beautiful Francoise (Virginie Ledoyen) and her boyfriend, Etienne (Guillame Canet). They are intrigued at the idea of a secret beach, and they join him immediately. Richard, Francoise and Etienne go to great lengths to get to the beach, and when they get there, they realise the beach has some chilling, brilliant and even deadly secrets of its own. Based on the best-selling novel written by Alex Garland, The Beach is an electrifying journey through paradise. Unfortunately, it was bombed by many critics who believe it to be pointless trash. But, if you have Danny Boyle directing, Leo in trunks and gorgeous newcomer Virginie Ledoyen in a bikini, what could possibly go wrong?I rate The Beach 7 and a half out of 10.

RubyJTuesday 2012-05-03 16:16:15

The Beach is CLASSIC

This is my favourite movie ever. Seeing that it contained Leo DiCaprioput me off watching it for a while, but to all the people who feel likethat, you're missing out! He acts well in this one and he's not Leo,he's Richard. If you begin to watch the film and dislike it, stick withit. The film doesn't really get going for a few minutes. Even if youhate the entire film- unlikely- simply seeing that beautiful Thaiisland is enough, and the water. It is a really good film, that mightnot seem particularly deep at first but is really good to watch. The'Richard's-going-mad-cartoon/video-game' sequence is quite mad, andreverts into Leo rather than Richard again, but it's only a shortscene. I love Étienne and I feel really sorry for him!! It's so unfair,and Françoise is so unfaithful!! Also, in response to the person whosaid a community of 20-year-olds with no kids is unlikely- did you seethe scene where Sal and Richard are doing the 'shopping trip' back tothe mainland, and are laden with everyone's requests, not least a verylarge pack of Durex? I love the Beach and I would recommend at leastone viewing to everyone. if you hate it after that, fair enough; butgive it a chance, regardless of Leo diCaprio.

Morgan-10 2012-04-29 22:36:39

Quite entertaining

I thought this was a pretty good movie. I'd heard that it had been pannedby critics but I was entertained. The story was interesting and I thoughtLeo did a good job acting, as did the rest of the cast for the most part. It was very different from what I expected, I guess I really wasn'texpecting anything. Certainly not a nicey. nicey film, quite violent, andthe story dragged a little at times but worth a go forsure.

2012-04-29 07:37:08

Undeserved bad reputation

We all know that this movie got trashed by the media mostly by people who refuse to take DiCaprio serious as an actor. Leo is no Deniro but he has more than enough talent to pull off this role. The story line is fair but the cinimatography is excellent. This film is well worth a second (or first) look.

2012-04-28 19:20:23

The cost of Paradise.

Few films are afforded such negative publicity during production. But, in the wake of the phenomenal success of Titanic, all eyes were locked on Leonardo DiCaprio. And the prognosiswas not good. After offers (notably American Psycho), the cherubic 24-year-old settled on The Beach, a mainly British production adapted from the novel by Alex Garland and produced by the team that bought of Shallow Grave, Trainspotting and A Life Less Ordinary. First of all, Ewan McGregor - disappointed that he was passed over for the lead - grumbled that, in the interests of commercialism, the central character had been changed from a Brit to a Yank. Then came the environmental horror stories. Apparently, the production had transformed a Thai paradise into a self-serving film set, uprooting rare grasses, bulldozing sand dunes and planting no less than 60 palm trees. However, according to producer Andrew Macdonald, he not only paid Thailand's Forestry Commission $66,000 for permission to shoot there, but three tons of rubbish was removed from the site and, at considerable cost, the beach was returned to it's former glory.In the interests of the story, the idyllic setting had to be just right. For The Beach is a powerful polemic on the precarious politics of paradise. Dissatisfied with the numbing mediocrity of his life, Richard (DiCaprio), a young American backpacker, goes in search of new experience. Arriving in Bangkok, he turns his back on the comforts of home in favour of a run-down hostel and an opportunity to sample such local delicacies as snake's blood. Then, during a surreal encounter with drug-addled Scotsman Daffy (Robert Carlyle), he learns of a secret paradise hidden by vertiginous cliffs and geographic isolation. Accompanied by a young French couple, our hero finds his island and, in turn, his true vocation - the pure pursuit of pleasure.Of course, this been a Danny Boyle film, Richard's nirvana is not all that he had it would be. But then the very nature of Utopia is a figment of imagination, is it not?Boasting superlative production values and a terrific script by John Hodge, The Beach is a gripping contemplation of the nature of our world and ourselves - and how we view both. DiCaprio, himself, already looking older than he did in Titanic, invests the part of Richard with gusto. He is electrifying, and is well supported by a largely unknown cast. And Angelo Badalamenti's evocative, electronic score is another major plus.

Susan Thrasher 2012-04-28 08:15:55

Ignore the critics--this is a good film!

Critics didn't like this film. Roger Ebert, whose reviews I generally findinsightful and on target, gave it just 2 stars and called it "seriouslyconfused". On the IMDB hit parade, it only rates about 6 stars. Because ofthis, I didn't go and see it at the theatre, and have been ambivalent aboutrenting the video, even though I like DiCaprio's work, and admired DannyBoyle's previous "Trainspotting". Then my teenage daughter came home from aparty where she and her friends had watched it, and she said, "It'sbrilliant! You HAVE to see it, Mum!"So, we rented the video, and I'm glad we did. The Beach is an interestingand solid film that tells an intriguing, if somewhat episodic, story in astylish way. DiCaprio is, indeed, excellent as a young man searching forlife's ultimate experiences, and getting more than he bargained for. This isa loss-of-innocence story, a sort of cross between Lord of the Flies,Apocalypse Now, and the musical The Fantastics. Director Danny Boyle leadsus on Richard's journey to the Heart of Darkness in an energetic, stylishway--filming is interesting and beautiful--and he gets excellent resultsfrom his actors. The use of Richard's voice-over as narrative--often adistraction in films--here offers a certain amount of adolescent profundityand acuteness of observation, and it works.I've been a traveller in Thailand. Although Richard's quest and Richard'sscene wasn't mine, I've seen it...the beaches, the bars, the snake blood,the dope, the parties. I've also been a high school teacher, and have workedwith adolescents hungry to discover "the real world", to bite into Eve'sapple with gusto. Many from New Zealand head off in their late teens/earlytwenties on "The Great OE" (Overseas Experience). The same is undoubtedlytrue for many Australians and Brits, if not so commonly for American youth.So there's a strong element of "truth" in this story.Don't listen to the critics. This is a good, solid film with an interestingperceptive story, fine performances, and a stylish presentation. Four starsout of five.

Rudimir Bombardinovic 2012-04-26 13:07:39

Phi Phi Leha

First thing to write at the start: don't be influenced by critics badreview on this one. Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors andit's true that The Beach is different that anything he's done before,many would say too commercial. The idea was to put together Boyle'stalent with Hollywood budget and keep best from both.Perhaps Boyle did loose a bit of his harsh style, but not so much youcouldn't recognize it's Boyle - especially in the Duffy's monologuesand wacky part where Richard is loosing himself. Actors gave goodperformances, Richard's ( Leonardo Di Caprio) cocky style andFrancoise's elegance (played by Virginie Ledoyen) work good togetherfor romance part. Screenplay is good, supporting Boyle's way ofdirecting with sometimes raw, "youth way" monologues and conversationsthat fit good.The biggest lack, in my opinion, is a "ideal society" part. In AlexGarland's story, on which is film based, it's one of the main questionsand occupations of the writer. Boyle should have gone deeper on thissubject, this way I had feeling that the end is a bit incomplete.And here is the best part - cinematography with heavenly beautifullandscape (I couldn't resist to move my rating from 7/10 to 8/10 justbecause of it). Yes, for all those who thought (including me, I admit)it was digitally supported - the beach and the island are real - it'sPhi Phi Leha island in Thailand. It's probably the best landscape I'veever seen in any film. Unfortunately, it was destroyed by tsunami in2004., so this is the only way to discover its beauties if you haven'tseen this paradise personally.

Kristine 2012-04-26 01:55:19

Will we ever find paradise?

I'm not sure if there is anything like that. But as for the movie, I'm notreally sure if I understood it. I mean I get the plot and everything. But ifthe group was looking for paradise, why did they turn on each other likethat? There was a lot of questions I had for the movie. As for the acting,it wasn't too shabby. Leo could have picked a better role.6/10

antileft 2012-04-23 00:40:38

Perfect for the unbearably hot recession-hit summer months

After seeing the movie for the first time , I must conclude that it isa very good product by D.Boyle , perhaps the most popular andfinancially successful British director to date ,whose film canonincludes an impressive array of various genres , ranging from comedies( Trainspotting ) to Sci - Fi with Sunshine ,and his last academywinner The Slumdog Millionaire .The Beach is a most welcome film forthis Indian summer, as it deals with ,well, a last strip of paradise,whose precise location is a sort of modern tourist legend, and thearrival of three youngsters ,led by Leo De Caprio , who discover a sortof modern hippie commune there, where love – read -sex and partnersharing – soft drugs –the island is virtually ideal for growing opiates!, briefly- carefree ' joie de vivre ' are the only rule ,and where theonly contacts to the Thai mainland are restricted to the monthlyprocurement of necessities done only by the select few .The eternalbliss is , of course, doomed , as the inevitable ,namely the forces ofnature ( diseases ,injuries –there are no doctors there ,and if theneed be , you cannot - once on the mainland – return or disclose thelocation ! , and the most destructive one ,that is the most human one ,jealousy ) dictate the lives there as well .This movie shows the truenature of modern tourist industry that cares not a fig about national ,religious or cultural sensibilities( observe the depiction of nowinfamous Thai sex tourism ,making one wonder if there is really nothingelse except girls and the indulgence of the most perverted sexual whimsand proclivities !) , and draws its power from human gullibility , and, first and foremost, vacuous, meaningless and jaded human lives underthe slogan of ' Enjoy '.

2012-04-22 10:29:16

Flawed but fantastic

Adapting Alex Garland's popular novel was always going to be a tough job. Director Danny Boyle (`Trainspotting', `Shallow Grave', `A Life Less Ordinary') just about manages it. There are, of course, several bad points, but the good points do outweigh them. The story is about Richard and two fellow travellers who manage to make their way to a sort of paradise for the backpacker, an island community on a perfect beach. And there the stage is set for our characters to realise that paradise isn't all it's cracked up to be.Probably the thing that no-one will forgive is the casting of Leonardo diCaprio in the main role of Richard. Impressive as diCaprio was in `What's Eating Gilbert Grape?', he seems a little stuck here. After all, the book is at least partly about the English obsession with travelling and casting someone that wasn't English was never going to help. However, diCaprio does somehow manage to come out of this relatively unscathed. Despite the bad casting, he makes a fair job of the role. Although he may not be so good early on, he's excellent when he is driven insane, shouting, hiding and screaming alone in the woods. Virginie Ledoyen and Guillaume Canet are perfect though, every bit the Françoise and Etienne as you imagine them in the book. Tilda Swinton as Sal is also quite intimidating, even if her character isn't really fleshed out well. Neither, for that matter, is Bugs - Sal's possessive boyfriend. Plus there's the exclusion of Jed, arguably one of the most important characters in the book. However, this exclusion was understandable in the face of a movie that was aimed mostly at teenage fans of diCaprio.Perhaps most disappointing though, is Richard's insanity, which is suddenly thrust upon the audience from nowhere. Although once Richard is mad it makes for compelling viewing, there's always that niggling feeling of why did he become mad, which is never explained properly in the movie.Even so, the whole thing is brilliantly seductive, with spotless beaches and an even more spotless cast. The movie achieves one goal if nothing else: the audience really feels like paradise is being laid out in front of them. It's sublime and the whole thing is visually perfect. The ending was another matter though. Wisely steering clear of the book's ending, as the characters weren't nearly as three-dimensional enough in the movie for it to work, it instead has an actually quite riveting last scene on the beach. Unfortunately, there's a distinctly upbeat ending, which seems to have been tagged on for the benefit of a younger audience. At the end of the day, it's a great movie, but the book is so much better.