‘The Beast’ Review: Samuel L. Jackson and Renny Harlin Reunite for a Subpar Actioner

The veteran star plays a U.S. President driving for his life in a film that falls well below the standard of 'The Long Kiss Goodnight,' or even 'Deep Blue Sea.'

By Katie Walsh

Katie Walsh

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The opening minutes of Renny Harlin’s “The Beast” are some of the goofiest we’ve seen on screen in 2026 — and coming a week after both “Digger” and “Verity,” that’s saying something. The latest from this prolific purveyor of schlock features a typically jocular, ornery Samuel L. Jackson navigating a high-tech automobile (the Beast of the title) while attempting to escape a brutal terrorist attack. What’s especially unique about this situation is that the man behind the wheel just happens to be United States President Oscar Palladin (Jackson), while his only surviving Secret Service agent, Taft (Joel Kinnaman), bleeds out in the backseat.

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