Director Kevin Reynolds
Starring George Dzundza, Jason Patric, Steven Bauer
Rated M
Score 4.5/6

A Soviet tank and its warring crew become separated from their patrol and lost in an Afghan valley with a group of vengeance-seeking rebels on their tracks.

For those of you who might be interested in 1986, after witnessing a team of mujahideen capture and execute a Soviet tank crew, William Mastrosimone wrote a stage play entitled Nanawatai, about a tank driver captured during the Soviet–Afghan War and his resulting plea for sanctuary from those who find him and The Beast (or The Beast of War) was based on the play. Mastrosimone also wrote the screenplay for the movie.

I haven’t seen Mr. Mastrosimone’s and the only reason why I watched the movie was because it was a spur of the moment decision. I’m not that familiar with most of the people cast in this movie and to be honest I had to look up Kevin Reynolds’ filmography for it to register with me that I have actually come across his work before. Most notably Reynolds has directed Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and Waterworld. What really struck me about The Beast was the stunningly beautiful locations that the movie was shot in Israel.
If you are after a war movie that would be considered to be a big loud action movie The Beast might not be the movie for you. The Beast is more of a character driven movie has more of a slow burn to it, that being said there a couple of action sequences that are slightly disturbing.
I didn’t expect to see Stephen Baldwin and Jason Patric cast in this one though I did enjoy their performances. I loved how Patric played off of George Dzundza and it was interesting to see Patric’s character Koverchenko over coming the language difficulties that would come with fighting with the mujahideen.