The Sea Beast (2022)

By: Mike Ward on Saturday, July 09

PG Running Time: 118 mins

SHOULD I SEE IT?

YES

Netflix’s in-house animation division is producing great work and The Sea Beast is a visually striking, entertaining family adventure.
Gets better as it goes along; The Sea Beast may remind people of other stories and films, but with a great connection between its two leads and some intriguing new creatures and characters, this is a nice surprise.
Smarter than one may realize, with a vibe, energy, and presentation that will appeal to a wide array of viewers.

NO

The checklist of familiar stories and tropes the movie uses in its script becomes fairly pronounced.
I tend to not play the “See this on the biggest screen possible” card, however I will say this movie is designed to be seen, heard, and felt in as big a setting as possible, and it is a bummer that only a few will ever get to experience this in a theatrical setting.
A lot of money went to the production costs, leaving some to wonder if a more balanced budget might have reaped bigger reward when it comes to the performative aspects of the film. Not my take, but it is out there.

OUR REVIEW

Flying under the radar of Marvel superheroes and yellow blobs who run around and cause mischief, The Sea Beast recently completed a quiet, two-week theatrical run in New York and Los Angeles ahead of its premiere on Netflix. Here’s hoping you and your personal Netflix algorithm find this Beast; it is certainly worth the hunt.

Awash in photorealistic landscapes, the first non-Disney project for writer/director Chris Williams (Bolt, Big Hero 6, Moana) has a big heart beating within its seabound tale of a stowaway orphan girl who becomes cargo that famed monster hunter Jacob Holland (Karl Urban) never expected to find on his ship.

Set hundreds of years ago, we meet Jacob as a young boy, clinging to a piece of wood from a ship that has been destroyed in an accident. Williams hooks you from the very beginning, as we are immersed in a scene that is intense and compelling. As we rise and fall with the waves and see the scope of the trauma and carnage, we also see a massive creature swimming below the surface. Is that creature the reason for Jacob’s predicament? Jacob is ultimately rescued by a man known as Captain Crow (Jared Harris), who raises the boy after his parents' demise.

Years later, a second orphaned character enters the story as 11-year-old Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator) resides in a children’s orphanage. Initially, we see a button-pushing defiance that shows her gathering all the fellow children together, after hours, to read them a thrilling story. When the orphan keeper scolds Maisie and tells everyone to return to bed, we assume everyone will shrug and laugh it off. Maisie, we see, is ready to bust out of the orphanage. That warning to return to bed? Simply the catalyst she needs to orchestrate a bold breakout and run away, ready to experience those big seafaring adventures her favorite stories have built up within her imagination.

As the story takes some time to develop, Williams and team have crafted settings and backdrops which are simply breathtaking to witness. The blues within the water look realistic, as do small details like creases and bends in the flags flying on Jacob and Crow’s ship known as The Inevitable. Crevices and cracks are present in the wood, and other small but significant details await wandering eyes. And while some character rendering looks inconsistent from character to character, Mark Mancina’s underlying score is equally thrilling, mixing together sweeping orchestral flourishes with an ebb and flow of dramatic and softer tones.

Once the adventure picks up, a bond is soon developed between Jacob and Maisie. Additionally, they begin to realize that “The Red Bluster,” the creature Captain Crow is determined to kill, may not be as menacing as they have been led to believe. Eventually, kings, queens, additional sailors and more monster hunters infiltrate the story, leaving Maisie and Jacob finding themselves fighting to protect not only themselves but their misunderstood water-borne friend.

The Sea Beast is a film designed to look and feel big. Playing in Los Angeles and New York to qualify for awards consideration at the end of the year, nearly everyone who watches the film will see it on a small screen via Netflix. That’s a disappointment, because a film like this can capture all the senses, with great music, sound design, and terrific voiceover performances, especially from newcomer Zaris-Angel Hator.

Leaning into themes of trust, loyalty, betrayal, and family ties, The Sea Beast is a movie that will surprise many. The film further speaks to division and the illusion of power. As long as we are divided, we are conquered. These elements thread through the narrative and affect nearly every character. And while those ideas may not quite land with the youngest of viewers, the takeaways are unmistakable.

As people search to find a way out of our current political divides and tribalism, The Sea Beast offers a solution: Standing up and showing people truth, even in the face of divisiveness and dismissal can affect change when we are willing and able to listen to one another.

I did not anticipate The Sea Beast, of all things, to offer such a potent and timely lesson. However, it is always a good reminder to be open to embracing the messages as they find you.

Should the film find an audience, this may be something people revisit throughout the year and again during awards season. With that said, Netflix needs to make sure people know this exists. Otherwise, it may just drift away and fall victim to the biggest threat lurking in the Netflix waters - the Dreaded Algorithm.

CAST & CREW

Starring: Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens, Kathy Burke, Jim Carter, Doon Mackichan

Director: Chris Williams
Written by: Chris Williams, Nell Benjamin
Release Date: June 24, 2022
Netflix

Netflix’s in-house animation division is producing great work and The Sea Beast is a visually striking, entertaining family adventure.

Gets better as it goes along; The Sea Beast may remind people of other stories and films, but with a great connection between its two leads and some intriguing new creatures and characters, this is a nice surprise.

Smarter than one may realize, with a vibe, energy, and presentation that will appeal to a wide array of viewers.

The checklist of familiar stories and tropes the movie uses in its script becomes fairly pronounced.

I tend to not play the “See this on the biggest screen possible” card, however I will say this movie is designed to be seen, heard, and felt in as big a setting as possible, and it is a bummer that only a few will ever get to experience this in a theatrical setting.

A lot of money went to the production costs, leaving some to wonder if a more balanced budget might have reaped bigger reward when it comes to the performative aspects of the film. Not my take, but it is out there.