Beast

Although it’s called Beast, the title character in this African-set survival thriller too often takes a backseat to his human adversaries, which is a shame.

The result might have been more frightening if it had withheld the identity of said beast, instead exploiting our paranoia about foreign lands and preying upon our fears of the unknown.

But once the villain appears in the form of a massive, hyper-aggressive lion intent on protecting its turf at all costs, the film becomes lost in a wilderness of narrative contrivances, apex predator confrontations, and muddled ecological messaging.

Nate (Idris Elba) is a widowed doctor who arrives in the South African bush with his two teenage daughters (Iyana Halley and Leah Jeffries) for some healing after the death of their mother.

They are hosted by an old family friend, Martin (Sharlto Copley), the caretaker of a wildlife preserve. Conveniently, there’s no wi-fi or cellphone service. Even the radio signal is spotty.

Yet hidden dangers lurk only a short drive away, as the visitors find out the following day, when Martin takes them on a private safari. He becomes alarmed when he notices apparent signs of poaching.

The distress escalates significantly after Martin finds dozens of massacred villagers, and evidence of a rogue lion attack. “We’re in his territory now,” Martin concedes of the giant feline perpetrator, unaware that their peaceful coexistence is being threatened before his very eyes.

Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur (Everest) teams with ace cinematographer Philippe Rousselot (A River Runs Through It) to capture the rustic beauty of the vast landscapes on the African savanna with evocative flair.

Elba is convincing as a man scarred by past traumas while seeking redemption and closure. However, Nate’s resilience is offset by sketchy logical choices that merely serve to drive the plot.

The screenplay doesn’t offer much insight into the delicate balance of power between humans and creatures of the wild. The exposition is clunky while we wait for the grand entrance of you-know-who.

A late twist adds another party to the fight for territorial supremacy without providing any meaningful emotional depth or thematic complexity. Perhaps an over-the-top B-movie showdown between brooding alpha males would have been better.

At any rate, Beast becomes intermittently intense as our heroes plan their escape, yet ultimately takes itself too seriously — lacking the consistent tension or visceral thrills to make it roar.

Rated R, 93 minutes.