Leonardo DiCaprio fans brand little known thriller 'painful watch'
Leonardo DiCaprio is a titan in Hollywood, yet his early career featured him in this film, set amidst an exotic paradise, which has since left audiences with mixed feelings.
The Beach showcases one of the globe's most stunning and renowned beaches, located on the tiny Thai island of Ko Phi Phi Le. Since the film's release, this once tranquil island has become a must-visit spot for any globetrotter, but it hasn't been enough to win over fans of the thriller.
Released in 2000, the film follows DiCaprio's character Richard embarking on an adventure as he travels to Bangkok and finds himself lodged in a hotel near Khao San Road. Here, he encounters a jovial French couple and Daffy.
They regale him with stories of a deserted island, and Daffy leaves behind a map for him to discover its secret beach.
As they voyage to the secluded island, Richard grows increasingly smitten with Françoise, one half of the couple he met, and upon reaching their destination, things aren't quite as expected. They soon realise they aren't alone and start to establish an unconventional community with local inhabitants, while Richard's forbidden romance with Françoise flourishes, adding further complexity to their stay, reports the Express.
One review on Rotten Tomatoes stated: "Danny Boyle's 'The Beach' offers an escape for those seeking it. It also emphasises the fact that even in isolation, paradise can consume. For those looking for a blockbuster Hollywood film with blockbuster actors... sure, you'll find them. But you'll miss the whole point of this film. Severely underrated film. Grateful for it.Someone else shared."
Another viewer shared: "Amazing and underrated. Not a love story or a dumb way to show a young DiCaprio. But an interesting reflection on our modern society on the research of pleasure at all costs and on the meaning of "paradise" in our lives."
Tilda Swinton stars alongside DiCaprio, playing Sal, the leader of the beach community discovered on the island. Virginie Ledoyen, known for her modelling career in the 90s and roles in French films, plays his love interest and Étienne's girlfriend.
However, not everyone had positive things to say about Danny Boyle's film, with some criticising its storyline and adaptation from the book. One person wrote: "Just about watchable. Started ok but then descended into a muddled plot with Richard's intangible mental collapse."
A viewer has slammed the film for being "problematic" in terms of the ethics portrayed by its characters, expressing: "It glorifies acting selfishly, lying, manipulation and infidelity as positives. I have never actively HATED a main character more than Leo's character in my entire life."
They continued their scathing review, saying: "He has blood on his hands, hurts people he is supposed to care about, ruins the paradise he spends the whole movie trying to find, and then the movie plays a happy jingle and shows you that everything works out fine for him, no consequences, no growth."
Despite the mixed feelings towards The Beach, it's interesting to note that Leonardo DiCaprio's top-rated flick on Rotten Tomatoes is Catch Me If You Can, released just a couple of years after.
In stark contrast, The Beach finds itself languishing at 28th place in the ranking of DiCaprio's extensive filmography. For those curious to form their own opinions on DiCaprio's controversial turn in The Beach, it's currently available for streaming on Disney+.
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