Beast is one of the most recent high-profile movies to be shot in South Africa, and Baltasar Kormákur’s picture showcases some of the best wildlife and scenery the country has to offer. In the 2022 offering, Idris Elba is up against a rogue lion that’s desperate for revenge on the local hunters that killed its family.
There are a lot of people in the West who’d love to see Elba fighting a lion, but does the picture appeal to people from South Africa? On the face of the South African entertainment industry, it seems that people here are looking to get a taste of Western themes in their leisure time.
Africans May Prefer Western-Style Themes in Entertainment
Beast is a hugely entertaining offering, which appeals to Western audiences because it provides sheer escapism. The Hollywood blockbuster transports viewers to a wilderness setting unlike any they may have seen before in their home countries. However, for South Africans who have easy access to nature reserves and wildlife, it’s not quite as mesmerizing. Arguably, it’s less immersive because native locals are able to spot glaring inaccuracies in the portrayal of their countries.
Unsurprisingly, South Africans are less invested in films and entertainment that cover what they already know. Escapism to those with wilderness on their doorstep looks very different…
For example, a look at the Netflix top watched shows in Africa for June 2023 has The Surrogacy, Black Mirror, and Never Have I Ever in the top three. All three of these offerings take viewers on journeys to various settings in the UK and America, as opposed to local areas. In addition, the booming iGaming industry in SA shows similar evidence of African players being enticed by Western themes or Hollywood films. Many of the South Africa online casino games quite clearly take inspiration from Western films and television shows like Cash Bandits: Museum Heist, which borrows themes from Ocean’s Eleven, and Count Cashtacular, which was inspired by Dracula.
African Setting and Authentic Cast
While the most popular entertainment in South Africa may suggest that people here are in search of content from other countries, it could simply be a case that there aren’t enough offerings from this country for them to choose from. There are many elements of Beast that are likely to appeal to viewers in the country, with it having been lauded for its authenticity.
Aside from Elba putting on a fake American accent and an enraged lion going on a rampage, there’s a lot of realistic stuff in the movie. The setting itself is gorgeous, with locations in South Africa and Namibia used for shooting. It features some excellent shots of wildlife, and even the CGI in the picture looks incredibly realistic. A lot of local cast members feature as well, with viewers most likely to recognize Sharlto Copley. The acclaimed actor, who hails from Johannesburg, has starred in various pictures set in the country, including the hugely popular District 9.
Beast is a fun movie that doesn’t try to deliver too much. It’s a simple story of a man having to fight overwhelming odds. It should appeal to African viewers who enjoy seeing their continent on screen. However, it may not be on the top of people’s watchlists here, as it appears that Africans prefer to view Westernised themes and content.
Categories: News
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
