Very Enjoyable and Creative.

Rating: Null/10 (24 November 2000)

The Beach isn't one of the most impressive films I have seen in 2000, but it is easy to call The Beach a very good film. And a great one wouldn't be exaggerating either.
Leonardo DiCaprio is backpacker Richard, who thinks he's worldly-wise, but is so "the young American abroad" when he seeks adventure and danger in Thailand. A strange encounter with crazed Daffy (Robert Carlyle), who rants of a perfect, secret beach, seems the travel tip for him. And he recruits a French girl he fancies rotten (Virginie Ledoyen) and her amiable boyfriend (Guillaume Canet) to join him on a mysterious, funny, scary journey to the spectacularly beautiful haven. There Sal (Swinton) holds sway over a community of drop-outs who are kind of a cross between the Swiss Family Robinson and an apocalyptic water sport cult.
Although not one of the best films of 2000, The Beach is still an exotically engaging piece of work that results in the `Very, very good' column of filmmaking. Leonardo DiCaprio is electrifying as Richard, his performance lives long in the memory. DiCaprio is well supported by a largely unknown cast, Ledoyen, Swinton and Canet are all just as impressive. Danny Boyle once again gives us masterful directing effort, and the adaption from Alex Garland's novel wasn't bad, although it somehow loses its way towards the end.
Overall, The Beach is a very recommendable Friday-nighter.
I rate The Beach 7 out of 10.