The Beast Within Review- A Seething Kit Harrington Sizzles

Of all the original monsters, werewolves are the least scary. There is something inherently cheesy about something that stretches and mutates before it becomes covered in fur. Humans are hardwired to love dogs, so the idea of a human/canine werewolf endears confusion more than fear. Couple that with less-than-superb special effects, and the monsters that growl in the night are better seen than heard. The Beast Within, directed by Alexander J. Farrell and written by Greer Ellison, is a sumptuous dark fairy tale full of monsters hiding in the shadows. Farrell smartly lets his beast lurk and menace just off camera or in the dark rather than give us a close-up view. This psychological thriller is more about what it means to be a monster and less about what that monster looks like.

What we see and believe as children is often skewed by our fear and innocence. It’s hard to believe sometimes that the people who should protect us the most are the ones we should be the most wary of. Such is the case with The Beast Within. The luscious imagery of a deteriorating country estate acts as a metaphor for the rot that has seeped into a family struggling with secrets. Because we don’t actually see anything throughout most of the film, we are filled with anxiety that we are missing something. That sense of dread is played to great effect for the entirety of the film.

Kit Harrington sizzles and snarls, literally and figuratively, throughout the film. He is a gifted actor playing off type from his personable fan favorite Game Of Thrones character. Harrington is barely recognizable because he dives deeply into his character, Noah. Noah is presumably the father of Willow, played sweetly by Caoilinn Springall, who is trying desperately to grow up in the looming shadow of a terrible family secret that has been cast over her crumbling castle. She is our entry into this dangerous world and our narrator. It isn’t long before we suspect that someone or something is a threat to her and her mother, Imogen, played by Ashleigh Cummings. The tight cast is completed with veteran actor James Cosmos, who plays Imogen’s gruff father.

Claustrophobic and restrictive, Willow’s life is small, and like most children, she longs for more. She is drawn to her wild father, Noah, who Imogen keeps just out of reach. He is prone to as many tender moments of sweetness as aggressive beats of rage. Ambiguity is applied liberally and with good use. What exactly is wrong with Noah and whether Willow inherited that disease is kept vague. Even until the very last moment, questions go unanswered. That murkiness is one of the best parts of the film. Farrell isn’t afraid to be subtle and let the story speak for itself. He patiently doles out scares without resorting to overused techniques and visuals.

The Beast Within is a film that is more bark than bite. That isn’t to say it isn’t scary or powerful; it is just that the fear is psychological. Harrington is terrific, especially when he slips seemingly uncontrollably between a caring parent and ominous danger. He is somehow both traumatized and terrifying. In most monster movies, it is hard to allow the vulnerability of the monster to come through without sacrificing the scares. Farrell balances the competing emotions well. Harrington holds the camera with the fragility he displayed in GOT and the anger that isn’t expected.

Photographer Daniel Katz artfully shoots the derelict castle and surrounding dreamy countryside, and Farrell has an eye for framing shots that showcase them at their best. Production designer Russell De Rozario puts simple but impactful touches on everything. He brings the space to life with familiar touches that speak to the tragic nature of the family that lives there.

The ending is slightly rushed when Farrell twists everything you thought you knew at the last minute. That can be forgiven, though, as the tension created in the final act is hard to sustain with so much plot uncertainty. The setting and the cast make the most of the script, which delivers something new to the overdone subgenre. Whether The Beast Within’s bite draws blood rests solely on Harrington’s surprisingly scary shoulders. With or without fangs and fur, he is a roiling mass of tenuous kindness and barely controlled rage. The clues are there if we are willing to look, but like Willow, we want to believe those who hurt us can be locked up. Chain the beast to contain the threat. The truth is often more terrifying than fiction. The Beast Within is a smart psychological horror film that uses its setting and cast to create tension and drive a dreamy narrative of past pain and cycles of violence.