In “The Beast”, Bertrand Bonello immerses Léa Seydoux in the heart of science fiction and in her past lives

Adapting “The Beast in the Jungle” by Henry James, and following in the footsteps of “Last Year at Marienbad” by Alain Resnais, Bertrand Bonello loses his intrigue halfway through.

Original in his subjects and talented director, Bertrand Bonello adapts a short novel by Henry James by transposing it to the borders of fantasy. The hero becomes a heroine (Léa Seydoux) and the time elapsed in the original work extends over several previous lives. In theaters Wednesday February 7, The beast challenges, but does not keep its promises to the end.

In 2044, when everyday life rubs shoulders with artificial intelligence, emotions must be banned. To get rid of it, Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) must dive back into her past lives in order to purify her DNA. At every step, she finds Louis (George MacKay), her lifelong love, with the constant apprehension of an imminent catastrophe.

Bonello monopolizes Henry James’ novel by transposing it into the future. His science fiction is not far from the universe of David Cronenberg. The theme of the body, mutation, sex and feelings are common to them in The beast. The presence of Léa Seydoux, seen in Crimes of the Future by the Canadian director, accentuates this connection a little more.

Loss of rhythm

Bertrand Bonello plays the theme of time, at the heart of the film, as well as possible. The scene quoting a dialogue from Last year in Marienbad by Alain Resnais at the beginning of the film, places it in an evocation of memories which little by little becomes a prison. Similar situations are repeated, with the same protagonists, but different each time. Haunted by an enigmatic imminent catastrophe, Gabrielle gets closer to it by discerning more and more of its contours in order to free herself from it. To achieve this is to integrate, but isn’t it also to lose one’s integrity, one’s identity?

The beast builds this beautiful scaffolding in a first part where the mysteries of the plot and time fit perfectly in the elegant staging of Bertrand Bonello. If he has found his subject and the right interpreter, alongside an impeccable George MacKay, he repeats himself in a second half which loses its flavor. The film becomes unbalanced, spinning around in circles, losing its rhythm, like a working copy being edited. The 2h26 of the film is felt, while a great success was in progress.

The sheet

Gender : Drama / Science fiction
Director: Bertrand Bonello
Actors: Léa Seydoux, George MacKay, Guslagie Malanda, Dasha Nekrasova, Elina Löwensohn, Julia Faure
Country : France
Duration : 2h26
Exit : February 7, 2024
Distributer : Ad Vitam

Synopsis: In a near future where artificial intelligence reigns, human emotions have become a threat. To get rid of it, Gabrielle must purify her DNA by diving back into her past lives. There she finds Louis, her great love. But a fear invades him, the presentiment that a catastrophe is brewing.