From the beginning of his film career, Samuel L. Jackson has more than held his own beside an array of impressive co-stars. In “The Beast,” his fourth collaboration with the gonzo action maestro Renny Harlin, he holds his own with a car.
Not just any car, mind you. “The Beast” is the nickname of the custom-built, armored presidential vehicle. Through a series of seditionist and possibly apocalyptic circumstances, Jackson’s character, an unnamed president (referred to by the code name “Paladin”), finds himself behind the wheel of this large automobile, having to drive through fires and militias with guns blazing.
It’s a fraught test drive, as the chief executive finds himself steering through what looks like hell, or the opening sequence of “Apocalypse Now.”
Inside the car, things aren’t going much better. In the back seat is Taft, a Secret Service agent, the often-teeth-gritting Joel Kinnaman, who has a gnarly shrapnel wound to the gut.
The president, who has military experience, spends a lot of time instructing Taft on how to treat his wound. Another concern is the fate of the president’s wife (voiced by Jackson’s real-life spouse, LaTanya Richardson Jackson). The attack on him was coordinated with other assassinations around the world, so he knows she’s a target, too. At times he’s plagued by hallucinations and memories of his time in Vietnam. The role gives Jackson a lot to chew on, and to his credit, as always, he modulates between big and not-so-big with exemplary canniness. Not that you’d necessarily notice with all the bullets and short-range rockets flying. Rarely has an onscreen president been quite so aggressive.
The Beast Rated R for language, violence and bloody first aid. Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes. In theaters.
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