Life Through the Lens: It’s what’s inside that counts
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"The heart of this beast is strong."
In her 2021 hit novel "Nightbitch," Rachel Yoder explores the idea of dormant instinct and animalism. When a used-to-be artist becomes a stay-at-home wife/mother, she gradually yet methodically becomes atrophied. She feels her drive draining, her freedom fading and her sense of self sinking. The tedium of mealtime and naptime and bathtime and bedtime are slowly killing her soul. While most women gush about the loving rituals, the protagonist begins to violently recoil.
It is then, at her most disgruntled and dissatisfied, that the protagonist finds pleasure in the primal. She begins to sense a change in her physicality, her mentality. It is under the cover of night that she embraces her feral and untamed nature - roaming, hunting, devouring. This repressed urge, when released, completely transforms her and renews each and every vein that society had diminished and disappeared.
It is only when the dormant beast is liberated that she becomes whole.
This novel is fiction, sure, but it is sincerely a self-help book as well. You need not revert to an animal to experience pure freedom... but you must cease ignoring "civility's" locked cage that houses your animal instincts. Let your dog out of its cage sometimes!
****
'Heart of the Beast'
Alaska - you can't get more remote or removed. Retired Special Forces Maj. James Belmont (Brad Pitt) simply wants to disappear. After a lifetime worth of violence and trauma, he yearns to read, hunt and just exist. Without the ties of a family, he starts over with just one friend: his service dog Odin. The two of them need only each other.
When a routine plane trip ends in a heart attack, Odin is ejected and Belmont is almost killed. With the Alaskan weather and grueling frontier an ever-present obstacle, the two must trek 58 miles to help. As if bears and wolves aren't enough, Belmont's heart is an unmovable hurdle he cannot simply "push through." Survival is always a matter of heart, right?
Director David Ayer has talent; that is clear. Does he always choose the best production? Nah. This is a wonderful use of his talent, though; he shows his touch and clear motivations. "Heart of the Beast" is grueling in subject but equally grueling in reality. It put its cast and crew through rigor and risk but to great reward - all in pursuit of a genuine tale. The screenplay by Cameron Alexander is simple but effective, establishing bond and love authentically. The music by Jared Michael Fry is natural and creative. The cinematography by Mauro Fiore is filled with appreciation and awe. The production design by Greg Berry is subtle but beautiful.
Pitt has an unparalleled filmography - he has done it all and done it well! This was a departure, though. As always, though, he does it with grace and humility; his willingness is evident, and his earnestness is bottomless. Even when acting with an animal costar, I never doubted his friendship and sincerity. Speaking of the animal costar, I am beyond excited that a real dog was used! As Hollywood moves toward CGI and AI creations, "Heat of the Beast" features a REAL dog! Odin was played by retired search-and-rescue dog Uber. He brought an indescribable truth to the film that manufactured pixels could never deliver.
Although modest in cast and complexity, "Heart of the Beast" is enormous in scale and spirit. It can be seen in theaters right now.
REPORT CARD: "Heart of the Beast"
Grade: A
Assessment: A tale of true friendship
****
'Resident Evil'
Anything for some extra cash. Bryan (Austin Abrams) has a simple job: Receive a package then deliver that package. It is not exactly open-heart surgery...although if a heart is in the package, it is an essential component of said open-heart surgery. Bryan is a medical courier - saving lives one delivery at a time. On this particular night, Bryan's shift is over...his personal life could really use some TLC ... but an extra package is available. Hey, it is worth overtime pay!
En route to a secluded Colorado hospital, snow blanketing the already sketchy road, Bryan hits something. Dude, was that a person?! Upon closer inspection, yep, that was a person. A woman, clearly dazed and horrifically bloody, needs some medical assistance; luckily for her, Bryan is on his way to a hospital!
Then things get weird. Did I say "weird?" I mean, "then things get apocalyptically catastrophic." A world-altering serum granting an organism near-instant evolution has been accidentally released. Turns out, it gets pretty dark pretty quickly. The package Bryan is carrying is the stabilizer. Go figure. Survival is always a matter of heart, right?
Director Zach Cregger has made a quick name for himself in Hollywood; his tone and creativity are changing the horror genre. His version of "Resident Evil" is a fun ride! I appreciate the consistent comedy, all while never losing the tension and edge. It is almost like watching a video game: objective-based, level-conquering, escalating obstacles. The screenplay by Cregger and Shay Hatten is designed to be minimal but with steady interest. The music by Hays and Ryan Holladay is surprisingly absorbing; it is eerie yet beautiful. The cinematography by Dariusz Wolski is stark yet rich. The art direction by Pavel Krejci and Martina Ter-Akopawá has striking moments.
"Weapons" standout Austin Abrams is wonderful as Bryan. His personality alongside Cregger's script is a winning combination. They seem to speak the same language.
"Resident Evil" can be seen in theaters right now.
REPORT CARD: Resident Evil
Grade: B+
Assessment: Funny, brutal, and exciting.