Not the worst of 2000, but not far from it

Rating: 2/10 (18 May 2000)

"The Beach" has excellent photography, but provides nothing new it terms of story or acting talent.
While the novel may be of high quality, the film seems like an expensive and take-off version of "Lord of the Flies" as there is a society, secret from other adults and nobody else can come in, least they'd be killed.

The idea that people sneek in, that the society is all fun and games (and not killing, hence different/take-off of lord of the flies), that people cannot leave (they are in or out of the society to stay), make this a skulls/lord of the flies hybrid, with almost limitless possibilities.
However, as the location can go nowhere, neither does the story. Apparently, the love interest, the friends who came with the map, and the funny shopping trips are supposed to add to the story. However, they along with Leo's narration and the video game of Leo killing and stomping, and visually looking stupid detract from the beach atmosphere.
They make us look deeper. Deeper is where we find and question--> Leo got $20 for this? The film crew trashed the Beach?
Even without the detriments, The Beach is a beached whale.
Robert Carlyle is interesting, but his character is mysterious and not fully flushed out.
All-in-all, the movie's best (and perhaps only) redeeming quality is that there are worse.
Rating: 2
Viewed: in theatre (scope)