The new movie Beast pits Idris Elba against a man-eating lion in the Savanna. It heralds the return of the animal attack genre movies that has fallen out of popularity in Hollywood in recent years. But while there have certainly been some goofy entries in the genre over the years, there are also some hugely entertaining ones.
There are many elements from Beast that brings to mind other similar movies. From the approach to this specific genre to the tone to the family aspect of the story, fans may also like these movies after checking out Beast.
Jaws (1975)
Though Beast feels to elevate the animal-attack movie beyond the typical B-movie offerings, Jaws was the first one to show how incredible a genre movie like this could be. It also introduced perhaps the scariest movie sea monster ever.
Jaws is set on the small island community where the bustling summer beach season becomes terrorized by a deadly shark. Steven Spielberg cemented himself as a true Hollywood talent with a thrilling, terrifying and brilliant adventure.
Anaconda (1997)
While Beast does attempt to add some credibility to the genre, the animal attack movies benefit from being cheesy at times. The moment in the trailer that showed Elba punching the lion in the face let audiences know they don’t have to take it too seriously.
Another movie that entertainingly leaned into its own ridiculousness is Anaconda. Starring the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Ice Cube, it follows a documentary grew exploring the amazon jungle when they are forced by a dangerous hunter to track a massive and deadly snake.
Rogue (2007)
Part of the fun of Beast is how it takes the characters to a new location and one that is perhaps not seen all that often in movies. The Savanna is explored with its beauty as well as its danger which adds a terrific element to the story.
Rogue takes a similar approach with its setting of the Australian outback. It follows an American journalist who joins a boating tour only for the boat and its passengers to be attacked by a territorial crocodile.
Burning Bright (2010)
As if taking on a deadly animal wasn’t enough, Beast throws in a protective father storyline. When the lion targets Elba and his two daughters, he is determined to do everything he can to keep them safe, adding another layer of tension to the story.
Burning Bright takes a similar approach to this kind of genre story. It follows a young single mother who finds herself and her son trapped inside a house during a hurricane with a tiger inside with them looking for its next meal.
Backcountry (2014)
The lion in Beast is a veracious enough enemy in any setting. But the movie shows just how formidable the animal is when humans wander into its territory that it is familiar with and hunts in. It makes the fight to survive all the more difficult.
Backcountry is set in a more relatable location as it follows a young couple on a camping trip in the woods. But it proves to be just as dangerous as they get lost and soon find themselves terrorized by an angry bear.
Cujo (1983)
The family element of Beast adds a lot to the story. While few can relate to the terror of coming face to face with a lion, many people know the feeling of being scared for their child and trying to keep them safe.
Cujo is a faithful Stephen King adaptation that takes a simple setting and makes it terrifying. It follows a mother and her small son who are locked in their broken-down car with a rabid dog trying to get to them.
The Edge (1997)
Beast combines the typical animal attack movie with a survival movie. Elba and the other characters find themselves facing various threats while out in the wilderness, including some human threats.
The Edge is a gripping survival story starring Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin as two men whose small plane crashes leaving them to fend for themselves in the wilderness. Along with being stalked by a bear, they begin to wonder how much they can trust each other.
Crawl (2019)
Another animal attack movie that features a family element like Beast is Crawl. It follows a young woman who checks on her father during a hurricane only to find him trapped under his house’s crawl space with the water rising.
While that threat is worrisome enough, the flooding also brings several alligators. It is fun seeing a daughter fighting to protect her father in this intense and terrifying thriller. It makes for a heart-pounding ride from beginning to end.
The Grey (2011)
Elba is a terrific actor to see in this type of movie. He has the acting chops to elevate the story but is also an exceptional movie star and action hero that fans can root for as he takes on this deadly animal foe.
The Grey is another animal attack movie that makes great use of its protagonist. Liam Neeson plays a hunter who finds himself trapped in the Arctic tundra with other survivors of a plane crash. And as much as Neeson is familiar with hard-hitting fight scenes, he meets his match with a pack of hungry wolves.
The Ghost And The Darkness (1996)
Though there are so many different animals presented in the man vs. beast genre, lions have not been used very often. However, Beast does a very effective job of showing why they are considered the kings of the jungle and are apex predators.
Another movie that did a great job of making lions a formidable threat is The Ghost and the Darkness. Loosely based on a true story, Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas star as hunters trying to stop a pair of deadly lions who terrorize a local construction operation in 1800s Africa.
