The Beach (2000)
Last Watch Date - May 23, 2024
Total Times Watched - 3?
Comments
I thought it had been a while since I last watched a movie and by golly, it's been over a month! Things have been busy, which means there's not much time for this kind of stuff. But when you get all stressed, it's always nice to watch some beach movies! Nothing relaxes you like the beach, NOTHING. Sharks? Relaxing. Hippies? Relaxing! Dudes with guns? RELAXING.
What I remember liking about this movie, and it has been quite some time since I watched it, is the beach itself. I always thought the whole commune thing was a bit odd and culty, but the beach looks SO NICE. Also Virginie Ledoyen. She looks nice.
The story in this movie doesn't really make all that much sense, especially in the "information age" where you don't really need a map to find this island. I like to wonder what happened in this movie's timeline when satellite imagery and high-speed internet really got going. Do the farmers just decide that it's fine for everyone to visit? Do they sell off the island for tourism and go out with a big bang? It's stupid.
What wasn't stupid was the acting! Uhh.. good segue. The cast has some solid actors but Leo kind of sucks. Maybe he always does and I don't watch enough of his stuff to notice. There are so many corny lines and bizarre bits of this movie that it's hard to tell if it's Leo himself or the script/direction. The video game sequence was... something... His little Rambo thing was also something. Everyone else was fine.
This movie clocks in just under 2 hours and it kind of feels a bit long. The good thing is that it starts fast and gets right into it, but once they get TO the beach, things slow to a crawl. And then there's the whole watch thing that drags. They didn't go into the dynamic between the commune and the farmer enough. I would've liked to see some more of THAT. The whole live and let live thing they had going seemed reasonable, but the newcomers being confronted was out of left field. Especially after the speech the main farmer gives. I guess these are spoilers, but it's too late now. THIS MOVIE IS 24 YEARS OLD, YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT HAPPENS ALREADY.
Recommended?
I like island stuff, so sure. It's goofy and the plot makes no sense, but it's not bad.
