Rating: 

The Info

Directed by: Danny Boyle
Written by: John Hodge (based on the novel by Alex Garland)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tilda Swinton, Virginie Ledowen, Guillaume Canet, Robert Carlyle
Produced by: Andrew MacDonald

The Nutshell

An American exploring Thailand is given a map that leads to an island paradise.

The Review

    Paradise. It is a word that is almost mythical in the Western world. Bringing to mind exotic locales and an end to human worries (finances, etc.), it is for most an unreachable pursuit. One reason for this is that all of the good spots have been taken. When the first explorers reached the Rocky Mountains, it became paradise for some of them. Today, the mountains are overrun by tourists, hikers and backpackers, and national parks like Canada's Banff are nothing like what they were. Thousands of lower class Westerners dream of one day travelling to Europe, Africa, Asia yet when the day finally comes and they set foot on that foreign soil, they most often realize that their culture has preceded them. The Beach, the new film by the team of director Danny Boyle and writer John Hodge (Trainspotting, Shallow Grave) revolves around a true island paradise and the two dozen or so people who live there. These people want to keep their home a secret, and must decide how far they are willing to go to achieve that goal. In today's world, as they find out, you have to go pretty far.

    Leonardo DiCaprio returns to the screen after a long absence as Richard, an American thrill-seeker touring Thailand alone. He has had it not only with his life back home, but with the behaviour of his fellow tourists, which he considers pathetic and destructive. After a night of adventure which includes drinking snake blood, Richard discovers a raving madman in the room next to his named Daffy (Carlyle). Daffy tells Richard a wild tale of an island paradise, and later leaves a map for him. Not wanting to go alone, Richard befriends the French couple down the hall, Francoise and Etienne (Ledowen and Canet) and invites them along. Needless to say, they find the island, and its mythical beach. There they find a community of travellers who have made the island their home, living in secrecy, making trips to the mainland only several times a year. Richard and friends immerse themselves in the flow of the place, finding a welcome home and a paradise on Earth. Problems arise when they discover that the other side of the island is controlled by 'farmers' cultivating the island's only crop, marijuana. Later, several crises will strain the good-natured fellowship of the island, and make them question the lengths that they have gone to protect their secret home.

    This is an enjoyable film. The opening scenes in Thailand are driving and intelligent, with loud music propelling us through a mad crowd of Thai hawkers and Western tourists. Peddlers offer anything your heart desires, and for Richard, that something is escape. Escape from the excess all around him, escape from the world of consumers and hypocrites from which he hails. Daffy, the mad Brit, is what Thailand hands Richard, and it is a gift that changes his life. Once on the island, the film noticeably slows down, enjoying the scenery and the beautiful inhabitants as much as we do. As Richard adjusts to his new carefree way of life, he affects those around him going through similar changes. Richard also finds himself the fancy of certain island dwellers, as well as Francoise, who is torn between him and her boyfriend (The filmmakers were wise in casting DiCaprio for this role, it suits him and his fans nicely). As the film excites us with scenes of beaches, sex, and overall rapture with life, we are lulled into forgetting about those pesky machine-gun toting marijuana farmers next door... but not for long.

    The last third of the film is its weakest point. The action begins to get a little Lord-of-the-Flies-ish as Richard starts to see flaws in his paradise, and, to put it bluntly, goes a little nuts. He goes through a one-with-nature kind of metamorphosis which apparently gives him the enlightenment he needs to see the error of the islanders' ways, but for the audience, these perceived flaws are a bit vague. One can guess at the thoughts bouncing around in Richard's head, but not the cause. The film's message is not entirely lost however, and this is thanks to director Danny Boyle. At one point Richard heads back to the mainland on a supply run, and it is here that Boyle makes his case. After months in blissful seclusion, Richard's rude awakening at the sight of Thailand is brutal. Collegiate Americans getting drunk and throwing up, bonfire parties on the beach, potheads rampaging through the streets, it all comes crashing down on Richard's head and makes both him and us want to return to the island where everything is happy. Folks, there may truly be no undiscovered island paradises left on this planet of ours. What this means is that we will have to start taking better care of the lesser paradises of which we already know. In mankind's current emotional state, this is a near impossibility however. The impression one gets from The Beach is that this is not a bunch of idiots who are incapable of sustaining a community; it is the average Joe. We as a species have to evolve to the next level and come to terms with our place on this planet, and Richard discovers this fact in the imperfections of even his island home. It is only unfortunate that his enlightenment has to come at a heavy price.

Copyright - Tim Chandler

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