Hollywood offers beach boys and beach girls looking for the meaning of life

Rating: 6/10 (14 January 2007)

"The Beach" has Danny Boyles signature and that is why I trustingly picked up this film at the DVD store to watch it. It was a big disappointment. Danny Boyle directed "Trainspotting! What happened to him? In "The Beach" the characters are portrayed superficially. The story runs like this. Leonardo DiCaprio and two friends with the aid of a map go to an island (located somewhere in Thailand) and there find a beach in which there is community of people who ran away from civilization and are trying to live a new kind of life, without restraint and hypocrisy. The film shows the problems and conflicts of this community and the inner struggle going inside Leonardo DiCaprio(his thoughts and reflections are revealed by a voice in off). But the characters in this film have no depth at all. It is in reality a Hollywood movie. If you compare it with "L'Auberge Espagnol" this film really sinks in the sand.
"L'Auberge Espagnol" and "The Beach" have some plot similarities. Both portray young people who try to live in a different way. In "L'Auberge Espagnol" the characters have a face and a name and we care about them. Now in "The Beach" the characters are cardboard people. The deep changes going inside Leonardo DiCaprio remain almost incomprehensible.
For those that want some adventure film with exotic locations "The Beach" is all right. You'll have your fun. But if you're looking for something more avoid "The Beach".