Samuel L. Jackson‘s latest action movie has received a warmer reception than fans initially expected. Titled The Beast, it follows in the tradition of films like Olympus Has Fallen and White House Down. However, it focuses on the President’s security vehicle, The Beast, and its many features.
The movie was expected to perform poorly with critics and fans, but early reviews seem to point in a different direction. Online reactions from fans have ranged from calling it director Renny Harlin’s best work to a generous, loving throwback to high-concept action movies. However, some feel it falls short of expectations.
What do critics like about Samuel L. Jackson’s The Beast?
The Beast has received praise for being an action movie that cuts to the chase. The Beast drops its audience in the middle of the action, with Jackson’s President Oscar Palladin driving his security vehicle away from an attack, with an injured Secret Service member in the backseat.
The movie is also praised for playing a concept Hollywood rarely sees. Most of the action takes place inside and around a single vehicle, and critics have called it a creative approach to a genre that rarely does that.
IGN‘s review echoed this sentiment, stating, “The Beast may not break any new ground in the action-thriller genre, but it does claw back those fundamental elements that led filmgoers to enjoy it to begin with.”
Harlin’s work has also earned rave reviews for keeping the spectacle from overshadowing the plot and story. However, Variety called the film a “subpar actioner,” noting that situations that should feel thrilling instead felt goofy.
The Beast will hit theaters on October 9, 2026. Apart from Jackson, the movie stars Joel Kinnaman as Agent Taft, Colin Morgan, and Guy Burnet.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
