Memorable, crazy movie

Intense, gripping, stylish and poignant

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

My Take: Enjoyable, made-for-TV monster movie.After watching "Jaws" and "The Beast", I could conclude that Peter Benchley should be proud when his novels translated well when filmed. I've heard many bad reviews about this movie, mainly because it was loosely based on Benchley's bestseller. But, hey, this is a movie. Not everything has to go by the book. Directors and screenwriters have to add a couple of twists from the novels. okay, a lot of twists, but this has been a case in many Hollywood movies, and some turn up to be very good, why can't this? The plot is quite like the plot for sci-fi monster movies, a hungry creature makes snacks out of unwary victims, and a good guy tries to stop it, while a money-hungry guy tries to capture it and put it on display. But still, that kind of plot is what makes this kind of films really good, and "The Beast" uses it effectively.The performances are fine. William L. Petersen (from "C.S.I." fame) is okay as a the hero Whip Dalton (the surname was Darling in the novel). Charles Martin Smith is fine as the profit-hungry town owner Schuyler Graves (the Liam St.John character from the novel). Creature effects were great and Don Davis' score is terrific.So I would still recommend it, although not as good as "Jaws" was, it is still a very effective B-style sci-fi sea-monster movie.TV movie rating: **** out of 5.

I first saw the movie in 1997 on TV. I loved the movie. Even though it is a made for TV movie, it was still awesome. They could have made some money in Theaters I'm sure. The Giant Squid is an amazing phenomena in its self. For all you movie lovers of Big Creatures or the unexplained... This ones for you. I would highly recommend watching. It's better than a lot of theatrical movies. Ever since I saw it, I am determined to one day get a big boat & go fishing for one of those Giant Squid. Who knows? It is an interesting movie. I didn't find it boring at all. With a little twist along the way... But you'll have to try & find it somewhere & watch it to find out. It is a hard movie to come across. Anyway, Andrew Hillier from St. John's NL, Canada gives it a Thumbs Up and a recommendation. Peace!

First of all let me get one thing out of the way right up front. I like the actor William Petersen and I like his understated style of acting. He is never over-the-top and chews the scenery. He is also a very likable actor which is one reason why the CSI show is so popular. In fact, I think Petersen is such a good actor I would've really liked him to tackle the part of the lead character in the forthcoming adaptation of Don Brown's book which is going to star Tom Hanks instead which I believe is a colossal blunder of casting in my personal opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love Tom Hanks and his movies but for that part I think he is all wrong. But who knows he may prove me wrong.Now getting back to THE BEAST. I mostly liked the film but besides the inevitable comparisons with Jaws, Tentacles and Orca, the fact remains the beast was not very believable and even worse not particularly scary. I don't know if posters remember an Ed Wood film from the 50's called BRIDE OF THE MONSTER. It starred Bela Lugosi as a mad scientist who lived in a laboratory on the suburbs of a small town. For recreation, he fed some of the local inhabitants to a giant squid or octopus he keeps in his basement. The climax involved Lugosi being hoisted on his own petard and it is still quite a sight seeing Lugosi flailing about in the arms of the octopus wrapping them around himself to make it appear the thing is crushing him to death. Laughable to say the least. While THE BEAST does not come close to that sort of ineptitude, the stock cliché characters and the unbelievability/incredulity of the beast is almost enough to sink what otherwise could have been a great movie. Not bad for a time waster but if you have Jaws watch it instead.

Peter Benchley what is wrong with you! What provoked you to make one of the single worst movies ever. But then one shouldn't expect to much from the man responsible for Creature. This movie makes me long for the Japanese Godzilla movies, because at least those made sense. Giant Squids are rare to begin with, that and the fact that an animal that large couldn't even begin to live in water that shallow. However no human ever seeing a giant squid alive didn't deter Benchley from having not one, but two giant squids. That just discredits his story. That and I have but one parting phrase for you, SQUIDS CAN'T ROAR! That is all. If you like pain, watch this movie. If you don't run as far away as you can.