Amazon.co.uk Review
Leonardo DiCaprio sought to distance himself from the cloying wholesomeness of his character in Titanic, and his role in The Beach is in many ways a polar opposite. As Richard, a young American seeking to "suck in the experience" of freestyle travel in Thailand, he is a chronic liar, a pot-smoking hedonist, an amoral lover and ultimately an unstable snake in a doomed Garden of Eden. This crazy descent might be expected from the filmmakers of Trainspotting, but The Beach is a movie without a rudder, venturing into fascinating territory, promising a stimulating adventure and then careening out of control.
After receiving a not-so-secret map to a secluded island from a stoned-out loony (Robert Carlyle, full of dark portent and spittle), Richard sets out to find the hidden paradise with a young French couple (Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet). What they find is a tropical commune existing in delicate balance with Thai pot farmers, and before long--as always--there is trouble in paradise. There is trouble in the movie, too, as DiCaprio is reduced to histrionics when the plot turns into a muddled mix of Lord of the Flies and Apocalypse Now, with shark attacks tossed in for shallow tension. Director Danny Boyle attempts perfunctory romance and a few audacious moves (notably DiCaprio's vision of life as a violent video game), but what's the point? Tilda Swinton registers strongly as the commune's charismatic leader, but her character--and the entire film--remains largely undeveloped, and pretty scenery is no guarantee of a laudable film. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
i wish i'd read the book .......2008-01-17
ive heard eny good things about the book and i thought id watch the film first. I don't no about this film. there is something good and plausible about it nd it makes you want to believe that there are places no one knows exist but its also very unrealistic and the film doesnt cover all the topics it should. Parts of the film are left unknown to us and it doesnt do this film any favours!
Good.......2008-01-09
This is the only film where Leonardo Dicaprio didn't irritate the hell out of me.
It's good, I think you'd really like this if you're a keen traveller as it's all about soaking up every experience and not following the same old tourist route.
I definately enjoyed this.
Game Over..........2007-06-20
I wish this film was good, I really do, I want to like it so much it hurts, but the simple fact is, that for anyone who has read Alex Garland's stunning book, it will only serve to disapoint.
Dont get me wrong, its a decently made film, although the "Hollywood" elements were a little intrusive, but I cant help but think a more faithful recreation of the book would have been more apropriate. Here however, Danny Boyle (otherwise one of my favorite directors, and well known for his collaborations with the writer) has seen fit to erase entire characters, events and ideas from the plot altogether. Where the book was rich in subtle nuance and character development, the film is simplisic and the characters shallow and unrealistic.
While I have no problem with DiCaprio, I dont think he is Richard, and especially not as an American, the simple act of switching his nationality erases some of the most interesting examples of character chemistry in the book (namely the meeting with Zeph and Sammy) and for no visible reason whatsoever, you have to wonder why they bothered.
Other elements overlooked include the Vietnam references, central to which is the chracter Daffy, who rarely appears in the film, but makes regular apearances in the novel as Richard's 'Nam-obsessed alter ego and makes for some facinating insights into Richard's mind.
I also found the alteration of the dramatic ending to be a terrible anti-climax, as the original is the most cinematic part of the whole book, and the intentional visual references to the final scenes of "Apocalypse Now" where the tribesmen ritually sacrifice a cow, is stunning and as dramatic a conclusion to a story as I have ever read.
To be honest though, there are that many differences, that many alteration and omissions, that to list them would take far to long. At the end of the day, when you change the story this much, what you end up with is another story altogether, and in that sense it is a mediocre one, and frankly doesnt deserve the "based on the book" subtitle with which it has been adorned. Likewise, the book itself should be stripped of all references to the film, lest people watch it expecting anything other that aboslute mediocrity.
Moderate Adaptation of a Best Seling Novel.......2007-04-11
The novel was a best seller whereas the film was a moderate success...just means that objectives were not fully met.Casting is OK with Di Caprio and Tilda Swinton well cast.The photography is breathtaking but the ending is very contrived.
a fantastic film.......2006-12-24
This film is so under rated, i dont understand the criticsm. Maybe this is coz i havent read the book, but i dont care, this film totally alters your mood.
so what if they cast dicaprio? i think he was perfect for this role. he is a very talented actor i cannot stress this enough. he just gets trashed coz of his good looks.
it's main theme is the human condition and ok its not on the level of say taxi driver with de niro, but it still offers alot to think about.
the visuals in this film are stunning to say the least. the soundtrack is also very good, with tracks from moby which really fit the scenes.
as i mentioned above, i think the best thing about this film is the state of mind it puts you in. sort of put me in a trance for a while, and it really inspires you to do something different in life instead of the same old stuff. THIS is whats important to me when watching a film, not special effects and lengthy action scenes.
the ending also leaves it open for a sequel, but i think it would be best left alone. i think in many years to come when dicaprio is an established legend, people which change their views about this film.
Customer Reviews:
So funny, I didn't realise it was a documentary!.......2004-05-18
The amazing thing about this documentary is that it observes an authentically individualistic film maker and the characters who inhabit his world so brilliantly and perfectly that you swear it must all be scripted, but it is totally real! Amazing! Mark, the main guy, has a dream of being a film maker and his vision is so wildly and recklessly expressed and executed that it makes him as funny and strange and ludicrous as he is admirable, but admire him you do, because he has drive, courage and persistence which pays off in the end despite his own flaws (drinkig, procrasticnation, lack of planning/discipline etc).
One of the funniest things about this film is his bizarre habit of philosphising and over analysing simple situations. And the other is the fact that his film making is so outrageously at odds with the simple small town life style he leads and the humble, simple people he has all around him. His dear old Uncle who finances the film (three grand...waht a budget!) does so for such a basic reason (there's a pretty young girl who wants to be in the movie) and yet has zero belief in Mark's potential for success because his dreams are so far removed from the family's reality of day to day life. They ask him Mom if she think he will make it and she says..."no!" His brother says he thinks the guy is best suited to "factory work". But he does succeed, and this DVD has made him an even bigger success. But the things the guy comes out with...my God! At one point, his set burns to the ground the night before he's due to shoot a scene and he says God has destroyed his set to teach him not to waste time and take things for granted! That was wicked Man! By the way, the film he makes, "Coven" is actually not a bad film, with a great horror film look and menacu=ing atmosphere, it kind of reminded me of Stephen King's stories. I think this film is a gem and I laughed my head off at it and learned some stuff about persistence, success and life at the same time, not to mention film making! Full marks, Mark! You're a star!
Sheer class.......2004-03-20
I love this film, but my favourite bits are: 1) Mark expounding on the implications of success with reference to his Christian and non-christian beliefs - he completely forgets the argument halfway through his rant. 2) Mark's interview with the Tribune about his film - when the reporter hasn't a clue what Mark is talking about, Mark just says the first things that come into his head. 3) The bit where his acid-head friend Mike describes how he almost OD'd. 4) Mark's utterly inspired swearing bout when drunk and watching baseball - his dad quietly says, "we'll have none of that language here".
This film has been compared to parodies, but no parody could ever be this funny or humane. Somehow, you end up respecting Mark by the end of the film and pleased that he gets his film shown.
Fantastic, Slightly Misunderstood Documentary.......2004-03-10
Generally people see this documentary as a dig at a small town, Wayne's World type personality. And generally they are wrong. I can certainly empathise with this position as when I first saw it I truly thought it was a spoof, such as the likes of Spinal Tap, but about a film maker. There are moments in this film where you laugh out loud in complete disbelief that the cliche of a 30 year old man living in his mums basement is true and at his seemingly loser mates who make some fantastic appearances that left me completely dumbfounded and, perhaps wrongly, laughing until I was in pain.
Aside from the hilarious moments, I think to assume this is just for our entertainment through ridicule is to miss the point. The point is the leading character does manage to make a film, and it actually doesn't look that bad. The other point is that despite his mullet and thick glasses and loser appearance, he actually has a lot of wisdom to offer. He is unashamedly himself, he is constantly contemplating the American Dream and he is one of the most tenacious characters you will ever see on film.
This is a fantastic film that will have you rolling on the floor laughing at the main characters (and there really are some characters), but will also leave you with a strange feeling of respect and admiration for them. I thoroughly recommend you see this film, it really is so real you couldn't make it up.
Waking up from the American dream.......2003-12-30
It may not be the best film ever made, but American Movie is certainly one of the funniest - even if it is not a comedy. The lead character is a 30 year old paper carrier who still lives at home but has the dream to be an independent film maker. But when he decides to make his dream come true, he runs smack into the eternal truth that, however cool or inspired your ideas are, the people around you are probably too lazy or too lame to make it work, even if they profess undying support. His partner in this venture is a Dead-head slacker who appears to have taken serious quantities of prohibited drugs - which you could guess, even if you weren't listening to his acid trip stories - and who tags along merrily to support his friend without adding any energy. His main financier is an older relative who is reluctant to part with his substantial savings until he is given a role in the film. And our hero, being from the wrong side of the tracks, doesn't have the middle class network or education which other film makers can leverage. It's part buddy story, part morality play, part fish out of water scenario, part epic struggle against class and circumstances - and, almost unbelievably, it's a documentary. The lead characters were spotted while borrowing equipment at their local university to work on the film, and the documentary crew traced their progress. The film has been criticised for setting up the characters to ridicule - and there is no doubt that, with their middle class network and education to leverage, the film crew have the upper hand - but there is terrific spirit in the hero's struggle against his circumstances, which is epic, inspiring and - the audience suspects from the beginning - doomed to failure. It's like waking up from the American dream.
Redneck American Movie.......2003-11-30
A hilarious doco about a small town 'movie maker' with all the humour you would expect from a guy who takes his 'art' seriously.
Unfortunately he doesn't take it seriously enough to get himself off welfare, or out of the redneck lifestyle that makes these parts of America and types of characters so predictable yet so entertaining.
Any budding movie maker should definitely watch this as a lesson on how not to go about things.
The only not-funny thing about it is that this guy thinks he is for real!!
Customer Reviews:
For once, a worthwhile remake.......2007-10-03
This re-interpretation of the Shute story is worth watching. Given that it is more than twice as long as the first movie one might be forgiven for suspecting that it indulges in sentimental padding out of the relationships amongst the doomed; not so, it is true to the miserable point of the story. It has been updated a little and the quest for the submarine crew is slightly different but equally of no avail. Ultimately death comes to all; that's what I like about this tale: no happy ending. Regrettably, this version disgraces itself in the final scene by giving a little twist of evanescent joy.
Customer Reviews:
On The Beach.......2008-01-02
I thought this version of on the beach was excellent and well done, i have the original version as well both are good films and the second version was changed a bit. Good acting and well thought out this film does make you think and i sincerely hope we never see a nuclear war in our time or anyone else sees one in their lifetime
i will read the book and see how both films compare but your previous reviewer is right it is depressing however magnificantly filmed and glad to have both versions in my collection
I haven't read the book but............2007-04-11
I have now seen both versions of the film and this version is equally as good as the original with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner just in a different way? I can't agree with another reviewer who thinks it was mis-cast.How can a film,mainly set in Australia,cast with Aussie actors be mis-cast?? Bryan Brown was his usual good self as was his real-life wife Rachel Ward.I'm not sure about Armand Assante whose role as the ubiquitous submarine Captain was a bit gun-ho and maybe someone like Denzel Washington,Kevin Bacon or Jeff Bridges would have been better suited to the part? A somewhat sad film especially as it nears its' end where Grant Bowler and Jaqueline McKenzie are the real stars! A depressing subject maybe, but realistic and true to life if not the book?
Excellent, but probably the most depressing movie I've ever seen!, .......2007-03-23
Nightmares are very personal things. Probably because I was in the military at a time when nuclear war seemed more probable than it does now I occasionally had nightmares involving nuclear weapons - the end of all things I hold dear. Regardless of what that says about me, it is a problem that has not been resolved with the end of the Cold War.
I had read some negative reviews about Showtime's remake of the classic picture, so I wasn't sure it was worth watching. That was a mistake as large as the one that frames "On the Beach." This version far surpasses the original in presentation, depth of character, and, of course, effects.
Quite simply, "On the Beach" is the story of the crew of the last surviving American submarine, an Australian Naval officer, and that officer's wife and friends. A nuclear holocaust has created a cloud of radioactive dust that destroyed all life in the Northern hemisphere and is gradually making its way south. Worse, the Australian survivors have a good idea of when the radioactivity will arrive and kill them. When it does, humanity, and presumably most other life, will vanish from the planet. We may as well not have existed.
I've felt up until now that the 1959 classic with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner was the most depressing film ever made. However, director Russell Mulcahy and an excellent cast including Armande Assante, Rachel Ward, and Grant Bowler make the 1959 version seem stilted and pale by comparison. This remake - perhaps reinterpretation is a better word - gives the characters a depth that now seems missing in the original film. Commander Towers displays an increasing disorientation as the film progresses. Moira has more to her character than that of a lush. And Lt. Holmes is clearly not happy about the time spent away from his wife who, in this version, better illuminates her increasing disconnection from the real world.
Still, I find one thing missing from both films. Dylan Thomas exhorted us not to go gently into that good night. Yet Australians and Americans - at least those in Alaska - seem to have no trouble taking suicide pills (with injections for pets and children - seems like it should have been the other way around.) There is a great ethical issue in taking the pills and injections that is not explored in either version, and yet what deserves more ethical and moral debate than whether it is human, in the best sense of the term, to slip silently and uncomplainingly from life? Aside from the insanity of humanity eliminating all higher life on the planet, this lack of exploration of ethical issues is the point that most bothered me about "On the Beach."
I've not read the book so I can't comment on which picture is closer to it. I will say that I think the ending of the newer version seemed at odds with Towers' character - perhaps it was merely a fantasy of Moira while she was dying, or perhaps a critical scene was deleted for timing. I hope it was not just the tendency of modern film makers to sweeten the ending! The earlier movie is much more consistent with Dwight Power's character.
So. This is a movie well worth three hours of your life. Aside from occasional histrionics from Julian Osborne in both versions, it presents people going about their lives as best they can. You are left to decide the meaning behind it, as we always are as individuals. There are no simple answers here, and even the questions the movie raises aren't simple.
The movie will leave you depressed. That shows you're thinking. Perhaps there's no solution to the conundrum of stellar forces, chemicals, and biologics available as weapons. Some serious thinkers have postulated that the reason we don't receive any radio signals from others in the galaxy is that civilizations reach a certain level, and then, when they have learned to unleash powers far above what evolution trained them to comprehend, destroy themselves.
A travesty .......2007-01-24
Having read the book and seen both adaptations of this film, the 1959 and this, I advise you to buy the early version which has a plot that stays fairly close to that of the book.
This 2000 attempt is crude, badly cast, poorly acted and pays only lip-service to the book. All the subtlety of the original is lost and major characters are changed to the extent that their personalities are unrecognisable.
A case in point is Cmdr. Dwight Towers, USN, captain of the sub USS Sawfish. In the book and first film he is described as a quiet, almost passive, man who is totally faithful to his late wife. He is resurrected in this version as a raucous, aggressive womaniser. In the book the whole point of the relationship between this man and the character Moira was that although there were strong feelings between them, because of Dwight's love for his dead wife, no physical romance was possible. This barrier did not stop a meaningful and beautiful relationship developing. All this was lost in the second film, in which sex was the main driving point for them.
The end of the second film has none of the delicate touch of the book or the first film and was actually changed fundamentally in respect to the lead roles. Again this indicated a disappointing disregard for the original personalities of the lead characters.
I strongly suggest that you do not buy this film but do buy the 1959 version and the book. Neither is easy to experience so if you think you may not have the stomach for them, do get this film as it is so watered down, it will not affect you in any real way.
It is a shame that I cannot award "no stars" for this film!
Disturbing and trully depressing..........2006-11-24
--- BE WARNED --- SPOILERS AHEAD SHIPMATES!!! ---
Ok i usually keep an open mind with movies so i thought id give this one a go. So purchased it from Blockbuster.
To cut a long story short, this is probably my least favourate movie of all time. In fact i find it hard to think of a movie i feel is wasted more (possibly the Bedford Incident).
Basically the movie starts with a US submarine trying to find an area where there is no radiation after a huge Nuclear War involving China and the USA. Obviously there is no radiation free space as the whole planet is now radiated. The submarine returns to Australia to give whats left of humanity the bad news.
The end of the movie consists of watching the main characters of the movie and families, children either die of radiation poisening, or commit suicide, as the movie ends you see the planet now uninhabitid.
Trust me, i have saved you from an hour and a half of the most boring and depressing movie history ever!
Im a cheerfull fella, but watching this movie made me feel depressed for about a week! DONT WATCH IT...
After reading this, if your curious about the movie, RENT DONT BUY!
Customer Reviews:
Like A Highway to Heaven Episode with Wooden Acting.......2005-10-20
This really was a chore to sit through, the acting was wooden and about as emotionally moving as pouring concrete. The idea was a good one, however with acting like this it should have remained an idea! The Direction was equally lacking in gusto. Steer Clear of this one (at least until there's a remake!). Trust me I can sit through some real stinkers of a movie but this left me wondering if I should have spent the time watching paint dry!
Customer Reviews:
Pure Genius!.......2005-06-17
When a friend of mine who is a Huge movie Buff turned to me one sunny afternoon and said "have you ever seen Psycho Beach Party? ....No?....You Haven't lived!" That was the day my life changed! As I cracked open the plasic wrapping of my fresh copy I eagerly placed the disc into my player... yes my life was about to change... as I pressed Play my senses where bombarded with a high camp dance solo accoppanied by a killer soundtack by Los straightjackets among many others (I recommend bying the soundtrack too). The story Is outlandish But all the performances are second to none! Lauren Ambrose Is herself worth the price of the dvd as she seemlessly switches from the cooky tomboy "Chicklet" to the femme fatale "Ann Bowman!" the supporting cast are also fantastic with Nicholas Brendon (Xander from buffy fame) leadig the way as the sexy surf bum Starcat. This film has been effortlessly transfered from its humble drag roots on the off broadway curcuit and turned into a fntastic peice of celluloid GOLD! I urge anyone to see this movie!!!! FIVE GOLDEN STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!! AMAZING!!!
Customer Reviews:
Sun, Sea, Sand And Beautiful Girls........2002-01-27
Four popular Pets spend a day together by the ocean. Watch them having fun and playing games to a beautiful backdrop of sea, sand and palm trees. Pet Of The Year 200 Juliet Cariaga is joined at the beach by Samatha Stewart, Jacqueline Marie Phillips and Alexa Lauren. The girls all look absolutely stunning, in and out of their bathing costumes!
UK DVD:
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