''Beasts of the South Wild'' (2012 movie)- Review

Directed by: Benh Zeitilin
Released: 2012
Country: United States

Genres: Fantasy, Drama

Main cast: Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Lowell Landes, Gina Montana

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review

Benh Zeitilin's first feature film, ''Beasts of the Southern Wild'' is a beautiful, artistic and poetical film, narrated by a little girl, Hushpuppy, and presented through stunning cinematography. This is a tale of loss, survival, courage, childhood, fantasy, and unity.

The film's protagonist Hushpuppy and her father live in Bathtub, which is a place separated from the rest of the earth by a levee. Hushpuppy's mother is gone. Hushpuppy and her father Wink are very close to each other, and they live at separate homes. Hushpuppy has a lot of pets.

The people living in Bathtub have to struggle for survival. However, they enjoy. Everyone knows each other. There are so many holidays when they enjoy. 

Hushpuppy and the other children are taught by their teacher, Miss Bathsheba, about how to survive the prehistoric animals Aurochs, from the melting ice caps.

Meanwhile, everything starts going wrong. Wink, Hushpuppy's father, is ill. A fierce storm starts. The ice caps in the Arctic start to melt, and the prehistoric beasts come out.

Very soon, Bathtub gets flooded, and many people run away. But however, Hushpuppy and her father (and it is later revealed that several other people) stay back. They don't want to leave Bathtub. To make Hushpuppy feel a little better, her father tries frightening the storm away.

And then what happens? The next morning, Hushpuppy and her father get on boat and start sailing on the flooded town. Her father starts teaching her the ways of survival, the way to survive when he is dead... and then...

Well, I wouldn't like to write more of the movie's story. The movie goes on excellently, and Hushpuppy frequently narrates her thoughts, her thinking. 

''Beasts of the Southern Wild'' is a strange movie. The brilliant narration by Quvenzhané Wallis, the excellent cinematography, the performances, the story, the screenplay, all make this such an artistic, such a beautiful and poetic movie.

Quvenzhané Wallis gives a brilliant performance. She was only five when she auditioned for the role of Hushpuppy The filmmakers were very impressed by her audition. And she performs, in this film, brilliantly, and gives one of the best performances of the year. Her narration all over the film makes the film more beautiful.

Dwight Henry gives another excellent performance in the supporting role of Wink, Hushpuppy's father. Wink cares for his daughter a lot and teaches her how to survive after he dies. This is Dwight Henry's first film appearance as well.

Cinematography is wonderful, as I have mentioned several times before in this review. Often, there is the presence of shaky camera work. The music is quite good.

Although the overall story felt a bit confusing to me, ''Beasts of the Southern Wild'' has quite a brilliant story, and overall it is an amazing, brilliant, beautiful imaginative movie. 

3.5 out of 5!