Beasts of the Southern Wild - Review


Benh Zeitlin marks his debut as a director with Beasts of the Southern Wild. It is a drama movie centered on a six year old girl who leaves her Delta-community home in search of her mother after facing her father’s fading health and environmental changes that release an army of prehistoric creatures called aurochs. The movie therefore can be categorized under fantasy as well.

As soon as you finish the movie, you’ll find yourself remarking it to be a gorgeous movie. It will make you fall in love instantly of course with the movie and the girl Hushpuppy played by Quvenzhané Wallis. No doubt the direction is not quite mature. Even the screenplay is quite strange as the production crew was not experienced. The supporting acts were lacking too. But none of the technical aspect can stop you from feeling the beauty and charm of the film. The only reason is the leading cast.

Going by the plot, the movie may sound starkly bleak but the film is put together quite well. It is not at all a mediocre movie. It collaborates as an intense drama which is quite moving at times. The director tells us about the life of people living in a community. He portrays on the growth of children through Hushpuppy who lives in Bathtub. Yes, the places, the names sound quite confusing to be selected but you will realize the importance while watching the movie. The film carries a raw realism all through. The film connects emotionally to the viewers and the direction as well has played a keen role in it. As stated earlier about a bit of amateurish direction, it is noticeable in the elongated shots of the movie and in shots where the fantasy overcame the drama. Otherwise it’s a great effort by him as a debut.

The script is refreshing and touching. But a script is nothing without a good screenplay which is achieved in quite a place. It provides viewers with some unforgettable scenes and an emotional attachment which you don’t encounter in much of the movies. It’s wonderful to watch Wallis in the role of Hushpuppy. You won’t feel for a moment that it is her first movie. Even she might not understand the character properly due to her young age but has portrayed it brilliantly. Even the characterization of Hushpuppy is magnificent and worth praise.

The movie is one of those rare examples where some elements are extraordinary and unforgettable. The direction, the acting, the script and even the background score blends together to make it an experience which is truly beautiful.