When it comes to movies, I am a huge fan of creature features. As a kid, the first film that I ever watched was Hatari. And then Jaws, which gave me sleepless nights and all I used to dream was about sharks for so many nights. Hollywood has given us some jaw-dropping Man vs Beast films like Jaws, Anaconda, Deep Blue Sea, Piranha, Birds etc. I have listed a few movies that are not that widely recognised like the aforesaid but are equally gripping and fierce in their execution.
1. Cujo: It’s a thrilling story of a pet dog gone ferocious by a rabid bat bite. It has blood in its teeth, and all it wants is more prey. A mother and her kid get trapped inside a car and are tormented by Cujo. It’s the story of how the mother beats the fierce dog and rescues herself and her son. This 1983 film was adapted from a novel by Stephen King. It stars Dee Wallace as Donna, who is hell-bent on making a way out for herself and her young son from Cujo’s wrath.
2. The Grey: This 2011 film stars Liam Neeson as John Ottway, a sharpshooter who survives a plane crash amongst the icy wilderness of Anchorage, along with some other passengers, only to find themselves to be hunted by a pack of the notorious Grey Wolves in that area. This is one film that does not fail to give you the chills with every scene. It’s a classic Man vs Wild story where the hunter often becomes the hunted. A must-watch for all.
4. Beast: This 2022 film stars Idris Elba as Dr Samuels, who visits South Africa with his two teenage daughters on vacation. His Biologist friend in charge of the Reserve Forest guides them throughout the forest, only to find an entire local community killed by a wild animal. What follows is a deadly cat-and-mouse chase of a huge beastly lion and Dr. Samuels and his team. This movie keeps you on edge and has some goose-bumping moments.
5. The Ghost and The Darkness: Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas team up in this superb 1996 movie, (based on actual incidents) as Colonel Henry Peterson and Charles Remington respectively. The 2 men use their expertise to capture a pair of ferocious man-eating lions, but only to be tricked and fooled multiple times by their immense might and intelligence. The film is about how they finally capture and kill them.
I would love to rewatch these Man vs Beast movies, and I am sure others will find these quite entertaining as well. Do you have any recommendations for me? Please share comments.
