I remember seeing a poster for this film in a movie theater lobby many years ago. Once or twice I wondered, "why did this film never come out?"
Finally, back around 1991, I caught it halfway through on cable. I was shocked at how good it was. Fine attention to military detail, awesome cinematography, lovely Mark Isham score. I was hooked, and have seen this film several times.
The Plot: it's 1981, and the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan is well underway. Right after the crack of dawn, a Soviet tank column comes roaring into an Afghan village, killing many inhabitants, razing mosques, and rooting out the freedom fighters (Mujahadeen).
A couple of the Mujas (A Soviet Epithet)pop out of nowhere with Molotov cocktails. They incinerate one tank crew, and inflict some damage on another tank. It's the one captained by Daskal (An amazingly thin George Dzundza), with additional crew - the driver, Koverchenko (Jason Patric, intense as usual), Golikov (Stephen Baldwin, hapless as usual), Kaminski(Don Harvey, sleazy as usual), and their Afghan Comrade (Erick Avari, solid as usual).
The tank has some interesting, plot-driving damage: the main mast was hit and the radio can only receive, not transmit. In addition, the map was burned in places, making exact navigation difficult. An interesting shot shows the rest of the column taking the correct fork in a mountain pass, while our protagonists fatefully choose the wrong one.
As the crew try to make their way through the desert, tension among the crew is effeciently depicted: Avari struggles to prove his loyalty to Daskal, the grizzled veteran commander. Koverchenko sticks up for the Afghan, incurring the wrath and distrust of both Daskal and Kaminski.
Eventually, the tensions boil over, and the rest of the crew force Koverchenko out of the tank, leaving him to the mercy of pursuing Mujahadeen.
Although the Soviet invasion has been brutal, the Afghan traditions of mercy and hospitality have somehow survived. Through his broken use of the Afghan language, he convinces them to spare his life. In return, he helps the "Mujas" hunt down his former tank crew mates.
What makes The Beast work? The acting, first and foremost. Dzundza stands out - not a single word or action makes you think he is other than a seasoned, but embittered warrior trying to make his mark fighting a hopeless war. Jason Patric has an onscreen intensity that's perfect, and an intelligence that shines through. Erick Avari is highly sympathetic as the Afghan advisor, the not very welcome native whose motivations are always in doubt. It would have helped the film to show more of his reactions to the senseless slaughter the Soviets inflicted upon Afghanistan, but it's clear from his limited dialogue that he is already looking beyond the war and hoping he can join the ranks of those bringing Afghanistan into the 20th century.
Although the Beast is a linear war story, there is a lot going on behind the scenes. Shadows of World War II, parallels to Vietnam, religious allegory, and the notion of following orders vs. your conscience, and accepting the consequences either way.
What also make the Beast work are the locations, cinematography and sound. Although not a large country, Israel apparently had enough dusty plains, craggy sandstone formations and deep chasms to make a convincing stand-in for Afghanistan. The photography by Doug Milsome is sharp and detailed. The sound is great, with some nice spatial effects. What really helps set the mood best is Mark Isham's incredible score. It's a seamless combination of New Age and Middle Eastern riffs, alternately dreamlike and percussive. The opening and closing themes feature the wailing of exotic instruments, an eerie and soothing sound that transports you away.
I hear Afghanistan is a spectacular country, and I'm sure Kevin Reynolds would have liked to shoot on the actual location. (His underrated film Rapa Nui, about Easter Island, doubled its budget because of his insistence on location shooting. Think of the logistics of supporting a film crew on the remotest island on Earth) But it could never have happened - the Soviets were in withdrawal mode at the time of filming. The attendant power vacuum meant banditry and battling warlords, and out of that the rise of the Taliban.
An Ex of mine backpacked through Afghanistan before all of the late 20th century horrors had been visited upon the place. She found the people to be friendly, and the culture endlessly fascinating. How sad that the depredations of the Soviets and all of the convulsions afterward have made it into a place where no Westerner will dare to tread for years to come.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older