Product Details

• Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tilda Swinton, Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet, Robert Carlyle
• Directors: Danny Boyle
• Format: Color, Original recording reissued, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English, French, Serbo-Croatian, Swedish, Thai
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: January 29, 2002
• Run Time: 119 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (251 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005UWCD
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #164,459 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Leonardo DiCaprio sought to distance himself from the purity of his character in Titanic, and his role in The Beach is in many ways a polar opposite. As Richard, a young American seeking to "suck in the experience" of freestyle travel in Thailand, he's a chronic liar, a pot-smoking hedonist, an amoral lover, and ultimately an unstable snake in a doomed Garden of Eden. This crazy descent might be expected from the filmmakers of Trainspotting, but The Beach is a movie without a rudder, venturing into fascinating territory, promising a stimulating adventure, and then careening out of control.

After receiving a not-so-secret map to a secluded island from a stoned-out loony (Robert Carlyle, full of dark portent and spittle), Richard sets out to find the hidden paradise with a young French couple (Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume Canet). What they find is a tropical commune existing in delicate balance with Thai pot farmers, and before long--as always--there's trouble in paradise. There's trouble in the movie, too, as DiCaprio is reduced to histrionics when the plot turns into a muddled mix of Lord of the Flies and Apocalypse Now, with shark attacks tossed in for shallow tension. Director Danny Boyle attempts perfunctory romance and a few audacious moves (notably DiCaprio's vision of life as a violent video game), but what's the point? Tilda Swinton registers strongly as the commune's charismatic leader, but her character--and the entire film--remains largely undeveloped, and pretty scenery is no guarantee of a laudable film. --Jeff Shannon

Product Description

"Leonardo DiCaprio is electrifying" (David Sheehan, CBS-TV) in this adrenaline-drenched, tantalizingly seductive thriller from the director of "Trainspotting." Richard (DiCaprio), a young American backpacker, is willing to risk his life for just one thing: that mind-blowing rush you can only get from braving the ultimate adventure. But on a secret, deceptively perfect beach, Richard will discover that "heaven on earth" can instantly change into a jungle of seduction and danger. Co-starring sexy newcomer Virginie Ledoyen, this "journey to the unexpected, full of surprises, twists and turns, love and romance, lust and desire" (Maria Sallas, GEMS) explores the hidden perils and dark places that lurk just beyond the shores of paradise.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Based on what book?, February 29, 2000

By A Customer

First off, I absolutely loved the novel. Amazingly fresh and intelligent. The movie -- cut a main character out, put in ridiculous and unneeded sex scenes, and basically destroyed all the major conflict of the novel. As a movie, it was pretty, little else. As a movie based on a book -- whoa what book did the screenwriter read? Not one scene was the same in both book/film and the movie makes little sense of certain subplots. Read the book -- watch The Beach on cable

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars DANNY BOYLE, OPUS 4, December 7, 2007

By	wdanthemanw "wdanthemanw" (Geneva, Switzerland) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Beach (DVD)

***** 2000. This movie was based on Alex Garland's The Beach and directed by Danny Boyle. A young man discovers a strange community living in an heavenly island in Thailand. I don't understand why this astounding film wasn't more successful. I suppose no one wants to see too clearly through its mirror for fear of recognizing oneself. If you really want to see how the pursuit of happiness can lead to selfishness and murder, watch THE BEACH. Now.

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Beach, March 18, 2000

By	DR (Ohio) - See all my reviews

Starts out a awesome story of personal discovery and adventure. The scenery is gorgeous and breathtaking. DiCaprio does an amazing job as does the rest of the cast. The Problem...the problem is that the story is weak and shallow. Too many scenes come off as pointless because there are many times that the story goes into an interesting side note then stops halfway through never reaching any resolution. Wait for the 2 dollar cinema.