Magnus
December 3rd, 2003, 12:57 PM
Based on the play "Nanawatai" by William Mastrosimone, Director Kevin Reynolds offers us a realistic look at the Soviet occupation of Afghanastan. Although a plot centered around revenge and paranoia of just a small band of Afghan guerrillas and one Soviet tank crew, It is a powerfull film that gives some of us who have no idea how a bunch of ragheads could have defeated the Soviet union. Odds agianst them, the Afghans fought for blood and soil, the Soviets, well, you know what they fought for.
The year is 1981 and Soviet forces are on the move in Afghanastan. The crew of a Russian T-62 tank find themselves taking part in the destruction of a small Afghani village. Burning people with flamethrowers and running over Afghans with their tank is all in a days work. As the Soviet Unit moves on to the next town, Commander Daskal (George Dzundza) keeps his tank crew behind just long enough to tourture the leader of the village. As the tank moves on, it becomes followed by a small band of Mujahedeen rebels seeking revenge for the destruction laid upon their village and the death of their countrymen.
The tank strays from the formation and becomes lost with the band of rebels hot on their tail. Led by Taj (Steven Bauer), the rebels chase the tank on foot, and the action begins. As the tank crew tries to avoid the rebels while finding a way home, Commander Daskal finds his tank driver Koverchenko (Jason Patrick) questioning his commands and the overall reasons why they are at war. Commander Daskal becomes a paranoid pyschotic, Driver Koverchenko senses this and realizes they are headed for catastrophy, and the rebels find themselves an RPG.
Failed attempts to stop the rebels and realizing their Commander is going bonkers, the tank crew starts to tear apart. Along with the grim reality that they are low on petro, overheating and almost out of brake fluid (thanks to the dimwitted "brew your own booze" machine gunner), inner turmoil comes to a head.
A chilling tale packed with action and intriuge, "The Beast" has a nice feel of realism to it. Not a scenic trip for the mind (unless you dream of building a log cabin in the desert) but one would not come to expect it. A moody, "neatherworld", dark soundtrack and rather cut and dry from the directors chair, "The Beast" is worth the time to watch.
The year is 1981 and Soviet forces are on the move in Afghanastan. The crew of a Russian T-62 tank find themselves taking part in the destruction of a small Afghani village. Burning people with flamethrowers and running over Afghans with their tank is all in a days work. As the Soviet Unit moves on to the next town, Commander Daskal (George Dzundza) keeps his tank crew behind just long enough to tourture the leader of the village. As the tank moves on, it becomes followed by a small band of Mujahedeen rebels seeking revenge for the destruction laid upon their village and the death of their countrymen.
The tank strays from the formation and becomes lost with the band of rebels hot on their tail. Led by Taj (Steven Bauer), the rebels chase the tank on foot, and the action begins. As the tank crew tries to avoid the rebels while finding a way home, Commander Daskal finds his tank driver Koverchenko (Jason Patrick) questioning his commands and the overall reasons why they are at war. Commander Daskal becomes a paranoid pyschotic, Driver Koverchenko senses this and realizes they are headed for catastrophy, and the rebels find themselves an RPG.
Failed attempts to stop the rebels and realizing their Commander is going bonkers, the tank crew starts to tear apart. Along with the grim reality that they are low on petro, overheating and almost out of brake fluid (thanks to the dimwitted "brew your own booze" machine gunner), inner turmoil comes to a head.
A chilling tale packed with action and intriuge, "The Beast" has a nice feel of realism to it. Not a scenic trip for the mind (unless you dream of building a log cabin in the desert) but one would not come to expect it. A moody, "neatherworld", dark soundtrack and rather cut and dry from the directors chair, "The Beast" is worth the time to watch.