The Beast (French: La Bête) is a 2023 science fiction romantic drama film directed and written by Bertrand Bonello from a story he co-wrote with Guillaume Bréaud and Benjamin Charbit. A co-production between France and Canada, the film is loosely based on Henry James's 1903 novella The Beast in the Jungle. It stars Léa Seydoux and George MacKay, with Guslagie Malanda, Dasha Nekrasova, Martin Scali, Elina Löwensohn, Marta Hoskins, Julia Faure, Kester Lovelace, Félicien Pinot and Laurent Lacotte in supporting roles. The Beast had its world premiere on 3 September 2023 at the 80th Venice International Film Festival as part of the official competition. The film was released theatrically in France on 7 February 2024 by Ad Vitam and in Canada on 19 April by Maison 4:3.
Plot In 2044, artificial intelligence (AI) has taken over most of the jobs in the world. Although AI is credited with saving the world by stopping climate change, it has a low opinion of humans, and deems most of them incapable of making rational decisions (or holding jobs that require advanced thought) due to their emotions. At the AI's suggestion, one such human, Gabrielle, agrees to undergo a process to purify her DNA, which should remove her strong emotions and make her eligible for better jobs. On a trip to the purification centre, she meets Louis, another candidate for treatment. They are instantly drawn to each other. As part of the purification process, Gabrielle views memories of her past lives. Between purification sessions, Gabrielle is monitored by Kelly, an android who takes her to a mysterious nightclub which periodically switches between decade-based themes (i.e., the 1960s to 1980s). Gabrielle's first purification session takes her to a past life in 1910 France. There, she is an acclaimed pianist and owns a doll-making factory with her husband, Georges. One night at a salon, she runs into Louis, whom she met in Naples six years before. On that earlier occasion, she confessed her lifelong private fear that some kind of horrible catastrophe would happen, an idea she constantly ruminates on. Louis takes her to visit an uncannily accurate medium. Despite Gabrielle being married, the two begin spending more time together, although Gabrielle's fear prevents her from starting an affair with Louis. She invites him to visit the factory, but the factory gets flooded, and the flammable dolls trigger a fire. Louis and Gabrielle drown while trying to escape. In 2044, Gabrielle runs into Louis at the club. He tells her he is still hesitant about undergoing purification for fear of losing the ability to feel. They agree to delay purification for several days, but Gabrielle goes to the clinic anyway. Gabrielle's second purification session takes her to a past life in 2014 Los Angeles. There, she is an underemployed model and actress who makes ends meet by house-sitting for an architect's lavish home. In this incarnation Louis is an incel and stalker, who makes videos complaining that women do not notice him. He follows Gabrielle home but cannot bring himself to approach her. Gabrielle encounters the medium again, still uncannily accurate, in the form of a pop-up ad from a virus. Following an earthquake, Gabrielle approaches Louis and asks him to walk her home, but he rebuffs her, telling himself that she is merely setting him up for further humiliation. Gabrielle hears Roy Orbison's 1962 song "Evergreen" on television and begins to cry. She hallucinates having sex with Louis, who confesses having the same lifelong fears that she has. In 2044, Gabrielle visits the club, but Louis is gone. She wonders why the song made her cry. Gabrielle's third purification session revisits the 2014 narrative. Louis breaks into the house with a pistol, swearing to "revenge" himself on women. He corners Gabrielle in a bathroom, where she pleads with him that he actually means no harm and to trust her. Louis is noticeably torn between love and hate. She opens the door to connect with him, but the scene cuts to reveal Louis with the pistol in hand staring at Gabrielle lying dead face-down in the pool. Back in 2044, the AI announces that the purification has failed, an outcome that happens to only 0.7% of the population. Although Gabrielle is stuck in her unfulfilling job, she finds a silver lining by asking Louis to meet her at the club. They dance together to "Evergreen", and Louis recognizes the song, revealing that he too has seen their past lives through purification. He proudly announces that he now has a job at the Ministry of Justice. Although he claims he still loves Gabrielle, she realises he can no longer feel love in the same way. Gabrielle falls on her knees and screams in anguish. In a mid-credits scene, the medium calls out to 2014 Gabrielle not to go into the 2044 DNA purification room, before a gunshot is heard.
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