The Beach: Paradise or Prison??? (The Beach (DVD))

Member Name: Gendu

Product:	The Beach (DVD)
Date:	14/11/03 (28 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good, inspiring story and plot

Disadvantages: Too much swearing, Gets more dismal as it progresses

I rented out the beach quite some time ago, to watch during an otherwise uneventful evening in.
I'm afraid that my immediate impressions as I sat there watching it were Waaay too much swearing. I know it makes it more realistic etc, but it does make me feel slightly uncomfortable and I dont think there is any real need for quite so much. Anyway, enough on that.
The concept and plot was quite inspiring. the fact that these 2 guys thought they had discovered a paradise, but it just turned out to be its own curse and downfall.
The basic plot of the story is that 2 guys (one of them played by Leonardo Di Caprio) discover a map to a secret Island, which is meant to be a pure paradise.
Excited by this idea, the 2 guys rush off to the island. Of course since it is all meant to be a big secret (in order to retain the purity etc), noone can leave. This in turn adds a slightly disturbing, almost horror element to the film. This is particularly prominent when a few men are badly attacked by sharks and rather then go to a hospital, must stay on the beach in huts to die alone.
At one point, the main character ends up having an affair with someone elses wife and after it is later discovered that he had passed the map onto someone else (big trouble here), he becomes an outcast on the Island.
It is at this point that the film seems to drop into an almost surreal atmosphere, with the main character becoming like some sort of wild animal in behaviour. I wont explain too much, since I didnt really get it myself.
Overall, the film is quite interesting but not really a film I'd have to see again. It did seem to have a negative feel to it, growing stronger as the film progresses, as if things just keep getting worse.
Still, its a very clever film and I'm sure it would appeal to others more then me. to be fair, the soundtrack is very good. So all in all, not a brilliant film but worth seeing for yourself.

Summary: