Fantasia Film Festival 2024 ‘The Beast Within’ Review – Rich in Eerie Ambiance, Light on Scares

In The Beast Within, a 10-year-old girl named Willow (Caoilinn Springall, Stopmotion) lives with her parents Noah (Kit Harington) and Imogen (Ashleigh Cummings), and grandfather Waylon (James Cosmo) in a fortified compound deep within the English forest.

Willow’s parents often go on late-night excursions for undisclosed reasons. Imogen tries to hide the fact that Noah is battling some curse, but Willow understands that both of them are covering up something. Her curiosity gets the best of her as she questions everything and follows them to the best of her abilities. Willow has trouble breathing at times and has to rely on an oxygen tank as a remedy.

As Willow’s nightmares ramp up, her father’s behavior becomes more erratic. The family secret is much darker than Willow could have ever imagined.

With cinematography by Daniel Katz (Come to Daddy), The Beast Within thrives on a moody ambiance. The film has several wandering sequences surveying the lush England countryside, but the scenes in the woods seemingly haunted by blankets of thick fog are perhaps the most memorable.

The werewolf teases at the end of the film are executed eloquently. Seeing a dark figure standing in the doorway in the background with clawed fingers as Willow and Imogen struggle to stay quiet in the foreground is masterfully tense. There’s a sequence when the two of them are hiding in the basement staring up at a wooden floorboard. You hear Noah stomping around, dust and dirt falling on top of mother and daughter, and light seeping through gaps in the wood that suddenly become eclipsed by Noah’s swift movements.

The film is essentially a drama that is highlighted by moments of horror. The Beast Within hides what Noah becomes every full moon until the final moments of the film. This was likely done because of budget constraints, but co-writer and director Alexander J. Farrell builds and builds to a transformation reveal and it’s slightly disappointing once it finally comes.

The performances, though, are strong all around. Caoilinn Springall was a bit of a brat in Stopmotion, so it’s a welcome change of pace to see her in a more vulnerable role. Willow is trapped in her house watching her parents come and go. She is tethered to that oxygen tank like James Stewart to his wheelchair in Rear Window. Both are forced to observe the outside world from the helpless bubble they find themselves confined to.

Kit Harington’s performance as Noah is interesting. His character is kept hidden for the first half of the film, but he’s a terrifying force of nature. His mood changes on a whim and his massive anger has this whirlwind effect; a wave of destruction that is felt by everyone around him. Noah is like a rabid dog; aggressive, fearless, and territorial.

Ashleigh Cummings is the one keeping the family together as Imogen. She sticks by her husband despite his monstrous once-a-month persona. She does her best to keep Willow fed and taken care of. She tries for so long to make it seem like they’re a normal family for Willow’s sake. The toll it takes on her bubbles to the surface occasionally, especially when Willow starts pressuring her about what’s going on with Noah.

As Waylon, James Cosmo is like an older, loyal, protective guard dog. He’s trying to protect his daughter and granddaughter but doesn’t understand why they endure so much trouble with Noah. There’s a clear and lethal solution to the situation staring them directly in the face. Waylon wants to use it, but Imogen does not. The two of them clash throughout the film.

Snippets of Noah’s werewolf curse are revealed through Willow’s discoveries. The audience witnesses her nightmares as glimpses of Noah’s transformation are teased through his muscles bulging and tightening, fingers stretching and becoming longer, and the reveal of his yellow eyes. You know what the endgame is, but you’re along for the mystery that unravels throughout the film.

The Beast Within is a film about a family struggling with a dark secret first and a horror movie second. The film prioritizes an unsettling environment and powerful performances over a high body count and full-on creature reveal. It’s a worthwhile watch if you enjoy films with a slow buildup, but may leave those hankering for straightforward bloody horror hungry and drooling for more.