Featured Audience Ratings

• Sunny D

  
  'Beasts of the Southern Wild' will be remembered as one of the strongest debuts a director has ever released. The film is touching, original, and directed to perfection. Quvenzhane Wallis has drawn much of the attention for her performance as Hushpuppy, but Dwight Henry… More
  'Beasts of the Southern Wild' will be remembered as one of the strongest debuts a director has ever released. The film is touching, original, and directed to perfection. Quvenzhane Wallis has drawn much of the attention for her performance as Hushpuppy, but Dwight Henry deserves praise for his role as Wink as well. 'Beasts' will make viewers feel a wide range of emotions, and will leave most audience's very satisfied. Grade: A

• Dan S

  
  A skilled, unique film in the vein of "Winter's Bone" concerning a young girl (Quvenzhane Wallis) and her hot-tempered father (Dwight Henry), living in a poverty-stricken area off the coast of Louisiana, and how a storm shakes their tight-knit community. While not as… More
  A skilled, unique film in the vein of "Winter's Bone" concerning a young girl (Quvenzhane Wallis) and her hot-tempered father (Dwight Henry), living in a poverty-stricken area off the coast of Louisiana, and how a storm shakes their tight-knit community. While not as good as 'Bone' and perhaps a little over-rated (nominated for Best Picture? Really Academy?), this is still a solid film which features some great acting from a bunch of unknowns, and the director appears to be filming a documentary sometimes. It feels longer than it is, and besides the storm there's not a whole ton going on, but the relationship between the girl and her father is gripping enough to make it worthwhile in the end.

• Directors C

  
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] "Beasts" is an incredibly innovative movie, not only does it manage to execute it's tremendous ambitions brilliantly but through the level of it's imagination achieves a whole lot… More
  [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] "Beasts" is an incredibly innovative movie, not only does it manage to execute it's tremendous ambitions brilliantly but through the level of it's imagination achieves a whole lot more. In a world where the value of originality has dropped dramatically it feels so good to see a film this heartfelt and realistic. The performance of Quvenzhane Wallis as the young, wise Hushpuppy is just dazzling, and I don't think the film would have been as good as it was without her due to the fact the whole film is seen through her eyes. I don't think anyone else could have brought the innocence and curiosity to that role. Good child actors in general are hard to come by so it's vital to say the casting of the film is absolutely terrific. Dwight Henry who plays the alcoholic yet loving father of Hushpuppy was cast by coincidence, but it makes no difference that it was arguably one of the greatest casting decisions in years. The combination of fantasy elements and the harsh realities of the real world make for an outstanding plot in the same fantastical manner of Guillermo Del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth". The message of the story is made pretty clear earlier on in the film, although it's a rehashed question of human morals used many times before. That being how we are destroying our wonderful world through the actions of industrialization and relying on modern living privileges while others are living off of nothing. But because it's screenplay has been pieced together with an enormously inspiring and well weaved tale it refreshes that incredibly tired old lesson and really makes you ponder at what's right and wrong. Visually it is an absolute marvel with production design that is showstopping. The structure of the independent and self reliant community "The Bathtub" is eye popping as is the rich cinematography. On the downside there isn't much plot to the film and therefore it struggles to convey it's intentions by means of normal storytelling convention. Even despite that this is still ambitious, independently spirited film making at it's absolute finest. With some great performances, a script with inspiring emotional impact and impressively mesmeric direction like the best of films "Beasts" elevates the freedoms of our spirits into wondrous fantasy without losing grip on the realities of life. If none of that last sentence made sense to you, this film isn't for you.

• Daniel L

  
  Beasts of the Southern Wild is a wonderful spectacle of a movie that features thoughtful direction, impressive cinematography, and a unique and emotional story.

• Paulo G

  
  Detailed review to follow.

• Graham J

  
  Pure poetry. With minimal dialogue and a beautiful score it plays more like a song. Also great performances from the two leads.

• Thomas B

  
  If beauty is truth and vice versa, this is the most beautifully true movie of the year. Full review later.

• Jim H

  
  A child and her unstable father live in a insulated bayou community. Structurally, Beasts of the Southern Wild has an exposition that lasts far too long, as most of the first hour depicts the personality of the community. Perhaps this is director Benh Zeitlin's primary focus - a… More
  A child and her unstable father live in a insulated bayou community. Structurally, Beasts of the Southern Wild has an exposition that lasts far too long, as most of the first hour depicts the personality of the community. Perhaps this is director Benh Zeitlin's primary focus - a character study in which the place is the character - but I found myself waiting for the real story to begin for quite some time. When the central conflict between Hughpuppy and her father and the community and the authorities finally comes to the fore, the film was compelling, but it takes some time to get there. Quvenzhane Wallis, the youngest actress ever to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award, has about three facial expressions, defiantly angry, hurt/sad, and innocently searching. It's surprising that one can ride such a limited emotional palette to the red carpet, but I can see why some people found her portrayal of Hushpuppy to be an example of purity and innocence even though I wasn't drawn in by it. Dwight Henry, another non-actor, gives an even better performance, but I wish the script had allowed a deeper understanding of what motivates his character's mood swings; he's at turns abusive and loving, and there's little reason for his behavior. Overall, this is a good film, but going into it with expectations and hope that it would unseat Les Miz, which I didn't like that much, as the best film of the year, I was a little disappointed.

• Michael S

  
  Striking,poetic; "Beast of the Southern Wild" is a simple film that becomes increasingly complex the more the filmmakers cement the fact that the story is being told entirely from a child's point of view. Fitting since at that age everything is vague and the world holds… More
  Striking,poetic; "Beast of the Southern Wild" is a simple film that becomes increasingly complex the more the filmmakers cement the fact that the story is being told entirely from a child's point of view. Fitting since at that age everything is vague and the world holds such an unexplained mystique. Director Benh Zeitlin explores these feelings beautifully in a loose and beautiful little story of survival and the strength to overcome loss, environmental hazards, and the "beasts" we happen to cross paths with every once in a while. Lead Quvenzhane Wallis gives an unforgettably nuanced performance, and Dwight Henry (playing her father) is equally strong. The film's use of shaky cam adds to the experience, evoking a sense grit and realism while it's deliberate pace and select scenes that seem to meander build a sense of place and further develop our little heroin in the subtlest of ways.

• Emil K

  
  Oh well, what to say? This is one of those "poetic" entries into Terrence Malick land which adopts everything from that acclaimed auteur and turns itself into a pretentious art film. At times i was very much remainded of Malick's own highly overrated Tree of Life which… More
  Oh well, what to say? This is one of those "poetic" entries into Terrence Malick land which adopts everything from that acclaimed auteur and turns itself into a pretentious art film. At times i was very much remainded of Malick's own highly overrated Tree of Life which also had many nice steadi-cam shots but nothing actually to say. Same goes for Beasts of the Southern Wild. Occasionally there are some ok images to look at but there is no story that would actually make that much of a sense. I understand that it is all meant to be symbolic and deeply poetic but honestly who should i be kidding here. This is nothing but a drama aimed for art house audiences and critics who will and seem to love it. I myself could not find the magic or the emotional punch that this film so badly tried to achieve. I only saw pointless images after another that were very loosely tied together by thinnest story possible. It is clearly meant to suck you in with it's images and atmosphere but for me this was an extremely cold and forced experience to sit through. An experience i would possibly never repeat again. Why? Because there is nothing to understand here. Sure, if you admire it's pictures and embarrasing philosophical monologues that lead to nowhere then it might be your cup of tea, but i myself think that this is one of the most overhyped works of 2012. Of course it is also matter of taste also but seriously this film is just hollow and pretentious piece of work.

• KJ P

  
  Not only does this fictional story feel like an actual documentary, but I personally felt every emotion that jumped off the screen and into my heart. "Beasts of the Southern Wild" follows an almost orphaned little girl as she treks through life alone, fending for herself as… More
  Not only does this fictional story feel like an actual documentary, but I personally felt every emotion that jumped off the screen and into my heart. "Beasts of the Southern Wild" follows an almost orphaned little girl as she treks through life alone, fending for herself as her father slowly dies. Their town has recently been hit by a massive storm, leaving the town flooded. This film is more triumphant than anything, knowing exactly which beats to hit and when to hit them. This up-and-coming director (Behn Zeitlin) definitely has a strong career ahead of him. The writing is tremendous and the performances are terrific. This is easily one of the best of 2012!

• Carlos M

  
  A spellbinding film that properly uses a shaky handheld camera and a welcome visual poetry to enhance its sense of fantastic naturalism - and it boasts a wonderful performance by the young Quvenzhane Wallis, in a touching story about love and courage.

• Mark W

  
  2012 has been a bit of an underwhelming year at the movies for me. So many films have promised so much, yet failed to deliver. It's encouraging though, that one of the art-house films of the year comes along and restores your faith in creative and original cinema. "Beasts Of… More
  2012 has been a bit of an underwhelming year at the movies for me. So many films have promised so much, yet failed to deliver. It's encouraging though, that one of the art-house films of the year comes along and restores your faith in creative and original cinema. "Beasts Of The Southern Wild" is exactly that type of film. Based on the one-act play "Juicy and Delicious" by Lucy Alibar, this tells the tale of Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) a philosophical little girl who lives in a rundown Louisiana town called "The Bathtub". It's a bayou steeped in poverty, yet brings a certain freedom to the villagers. Their freedom is compromised though, when a storm floods the entire area and kills the livestock, forcing the community to flee their homes in search of pastures new. As we are introduced to our young protagonist Hushpuppy, we see her building a nest for a bird and before long we witness her holding small chicks to her ear to hear their heartbeat. In her own words "Strong animals know when your hearts are weak." This is a child that's completely in touch with nature. It's this very understanding and connection with nature that makes her such a sweet and appealing character and one that's a real pleasure to share her journey with. That journey takes shape in her struggle for survival and a sense of belonging, as her home is destroyed in a storm, leading her on her life-affirming travels that address the nature of family, community and the refusal to be defeated or succumb to the norm. This is a film about culture and the automatic assumption that those who live a different lifestyle (even impoverished) need to be helped or changed into a mainstream or industrialised way of living. Ultimately though, it's a right-of-passage story about bravery and survival and an allegory for climate change. It's strikingly shot throughout with the camera rarely staying still, adding that all important, stark sense of realism, required for the material. This is a film that's filmed from a child's eye view and young Quvenzhané Wallis (who was only 5 years old at the time of filming) is absolutely outstanding in the lead role. This young, untrained, actress should not be overlooked when the awards are being dished out. Fine support also comes from Dwight Henry as her defiant, stoic and seemingly harsh father Wink. To think that these two performers had never actually acted before is astonishing. They both deliver some of the best work all year. There are also shades of director Terrence Malick ("The Tree Of Life") and his fascination with flora and fauna and it also adopts his scrutiny of such things. Quite simply, this is a stunning debut from director Benh Zeitlin who's not afraid to infuse his story with surreal and highly effective visual moments of mythical wild aurochs who pursue Hushpuppy on her travels. It manages that rare ability to balance fantasy and reality and does so with such poetic flair. There was a moment in the film where I thought it was losing it's way and rushing towards it's conclusion but this was short-lived; it soon got back on track and finished with absolute aplomb. Throughout the soulful journey, we get to know and love Hushpuppy and in her moment of self-assurance she informs us "In a million years, when kids go to school, they gonna know: Once there was a Hushpuppy, and she lived with her daddy in The Bathtub"... How could we ever forget? Heartwarming, uplifting and not without it's moments of pathos. This is a film of purity and truth and one of the years very best.

• Jason L

  
  A soulful, poetic, and involving work of art, "Beasts" is equal parts allegoric and heartwarming.

• Sam B

  
  The characters in this poem of a film are forces of nature, played by actors who are forces of nature, in a story about fighting forces of nature. Meanwhile, Beasts of the Southern Wild is a powerful force to be reckoned with, beautiful, atmospheric, imaginative, and emotionally bold.

• Everett J

  
  Every year there is at least one off beat Independent movie that gets a lot of buzz going into award season. This year it's "Beasts of the Southern Wild" a small movie that came out in May and I've read a lot about it's chances to get a lot of nominations.… More
  Every year there is at least one off beat Independent movie that gets a lot of buzz going into award season. This year it's "Beasts of the Southern Wild" a small movie that came out in May and I've read a lot about it's chances to get a lot of nominations. It's a weird and very touching movie about a little girl named Hushpuppy(Quvenzhane Wallis) who lives with her ill father in the Bathtub. The Bathtub is a small community down in the Bayou, that gets ravaged by a storm. She has to struggle with survival, her Dad's illness, and just the crazy circumstances of her life. Wallis gives an amazing performance for such a young girl(she is 9 I believe). I can see her getting all kinds of nominations(I don't know about wins, but definitely some noms). The rest of the cast is good and are very authentic to the environment. The movie is different, and movies slow at times, but it's a good watch. Emily enjoyed it(she rarely stays awake to watch movies), so I think women in general will enjoy it. If your looking for something different, check this out, it'll surprise you.

• Mark R

  
  Thereâ(TM)s a strange phenomenon related to the Sundance festival each year. The evolution of the worldâ(TM)s most celebrated independent film festival from its DIY workshopping roots in the 1980s to the corporate bidding frenzy of today is well documented, but one constant is the… More
  Thereâ(TM)s a strange phenomenon related to the Sundance festival each year. The evolution of the worldâ(TM)s most celebrated independent film festival from its DIY workshopping roots in the 1980s to the corporate bidding frenzy of today is well documented, but one constant is the massive buzz that surrounds, more often than not, a single film each year. Whatâ(TM)s odd is how often these films fail, victims of the pressure generated by the relentless hype machine. At 2012â(TM)s festival, the â~itâ(TM) film was Benh Zeitlinâ(TM)s Beasts of the Southern Wild, a grimy fantasy set in the bayous of Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina. Thankfully, Beasts of the Southern Wild beats the Sundance curse and even exceeds most of the hype. In a tale that feels inspired by ancient mythology, the film follows Hush Puppy (a revelatory Quvenzhanà (C) Wallis), a young girl living with her father Wink (Dwight Harris) amongst a nomadic fringe community in an area of Louisiana known as The Bathtub. Following the destruction of the storm, Hush Puppy embarks on a coming of age quest of sorts to find her absent mother, yet what she really finds is a strength of self and community through an understanding of the natural world and her place in it. Beasts of the Southern Wild is an intense and beautiful sensory experience, and Zeitlin announces himself as a major new talent on the independent scene. He takes the time early on to establish Hush Puppyâ(TM)s fascination with nature, surrounded as she is with various animals, both pets and livestock, which she seems to love in equal measure. Itâ(TM)s a very haptic film, as Zeitlin lingers on Hush Puppyâ(TM)s need to touch and feel everything she encounters. When the storm arrives however, rather than seeing the destruction we are only permitted to hear it and, when seeing the film in a dark theatre, itâ(TM)s deafening and terrifying. All of the inhabitants of The Bathtub paint interesting and colourful background into the story, but this is Hush Puppyâ(TM)s story, and Wallis is truly remarkable. Itâ(TM)s the sort of natural non-performance that only a young first time actor can give, and while Harris is maybe a little too loud as Wink, Hush Puppy goes toe-to-toe with him right up until the very moving conclusion. Credit must be given to Zeitlin and his co-writers for crafting such a well formed child character, but they really hit the jackpot when they found the girl to play her. One of the most unique and original films to come from and American independent in recent memory, Beasts of the Southern Wild is more than deserving of the attention it and its maker are getting. Feeling like it came from the heart of the community it depicts, it is a personal and respectful story of survival on the surface, yet also a much needed reminder of our place in the natural world. tinribs27.wordpress.com

• danny d

  
  a phenomenal, and very unique film. the lead actors were wonderful, and the story was rich and engaging. insofar as it portrays an american culture that so few americans know much about it reminded me of "winters bone". the fantasy elements really heighten the story and… More
  a phenomenal, and very unique film. the lead actors were wonderful, and the story was rich and engaging. insofar as it portrays an american culture that so few americans know much about it reminded me of "winters bone". the fantasy elements really heighten the story and the meaning of hushpuppy's journey. a must see film.

• Julie B

  
  Strange and sweet, harsh and raw, magical and real all rolled up into one. That kid is amazing. And now I want some crawfish.

• Bathsheba M

  
  Just astonishing. A sympathetic look at what-to-me is a harsh reality: growing up dirt poor but seemingly having everything--enough to eat, enough love, enough fun, enough education. My god, Hush Puppy, the protagonist, even had her own house! But when you're living literally… More
  Just astonishing. A sympathetic look at what-to-me is a harsh reality: growing up dirt poor but seemingly having everything--enough to eat, enough love, enough fun, enough education. My god, Hush Puppy, the protagonist, even had her own house! But when you're living literally in the dirt, when nature shifts course your reality necessarily shifts with it. In this case, Hush Puppy's life is drowned. Wonderfully told tale from a child's POV. I liked it when the father told the doctor not to talk about his fatal illness in front of Hush Puppy. I like it that things weren't explained. That's exactly what childhood is like, living in the adult's shadow world. I loved the sensuality of the Bayou: buckets of crawfish and crabs dumped on the table and people cracking them open with their bare hands--no fancy crackers for them, thank you--the little girls dancing with the prostitutes, and truely, when the rescuers came and told them they had to leave their drowned houses and go to shelters, my middle-class eyes totally saw how a shelter would seem like an unreal sterile prison, not the salvation that the rescuers imagined it to be. The image of Quvenzhané Wallis--who is mesmerizing as Hush Puppy--in her little blue pickaninny shelter dress said it all--her world was real and this rescued world is a weird construct.

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