Mjeteconer Just perfect...

FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

disdressed12 i wasn't impressed with the condensed version of the movie.however,this extended version(with over forty minutes of added footage) was miles better in my opinion.we get more character development and get to to know the people involved I thought,the the beast was pretty impressive to look at,and would definitely inspire fear in me if i ran across it in real life.the CGI was good for its time.William Peterson(Pre CSI)stars,along with Charles Martin Smith,Larry Drake and Karen Silas.i think this movie was much more exciting than the edited version.the music is used to good effect here.i also liked the fact that they didn't reveal the beast completely right away.we do see glimpses of it before the big reveal,but jut enough to keeps us guessing.for me,this uncut version of the beast is a 7/10

vip_ebriega My Take: Enjoyable, made-for-TV monster movie.After watching "Jaws" and "The Beast", I could conclude that Peter Benchley should be proud when his novels translated well when filmed. I've heard many bad reviews about this movie, mainly because it was loosely based on Benchley's bestseller. But, hey, this is a movie. Not everything has to go by the book. Directors and screenwriters have to add a couple of twists from the novels. okay, a lot of twists, but this has been a case in many Hollywood movies, and some turn up to be very good, why can't this? The plot is quite like the plot for sci-fi monster movies, a hungry creature makes snacks out of unwary victims, and a good guy tries to stop it, while a money-hungry guy tries to capture it and put it on display. But still, that kind of plot is what makes this kind of films really good, and "The Beast" uses it effectively.The performances are fine. William L. Petersen (from "C.S.I." fame) is okay as a the hero Whip Dalton (the surname was Darling in the novel). Charles Martin Smith is fine as the profit-hungry town owner Schuyler Graves (the Liam St.John character from the novel). Creature effects were great and Don Davis' score is terrific.So I would still recommend it, although not as good as "Jaws" was, it is still a very effective B-style sci-fi sea-monster movie.TV movie rating: **** out of 5.

Joseph Parker This Peter Benchley film has his previous "Jaws" beat hands down. First, it is much more realistic than "Jaws," absolutely convincing you of the existence of such giant squids. The acting is first- rate. I live in Florida and have known fishermen for almost 50 years. These guys don't even act like actors; they act like fishermen. The musical score is awesome! Intertwined with the suspense is one surprise after another until the very end. The action sequences, both underwater and on the surface, are exciting and realistic. The cinematography, especially in the underwater sequences, is beautiful. In addition, there are several very tender and honest love stories -- the young stars especially hot! Some might criticize its length, but I promise you, this is a film that will hold you all the way through. My only negative criticism is that I have been unable to find it on DVD so I can pause it for bathroom and kitchen breaks. If anyone knows where I can buy it, let me know and I'll send my dough! You will watch this many times over the years and impress your guests (the ones with taste).I agree with Joel-80 that it is due for a big-screen remake with top stars and even better special effects. In other words, let Hollywood throw the money at it that the TV folks couldn't. I just hope they don't screw it up with phony mechanical fish like they did in "Jaws." If a good remake happens, even the severest critics will be blown away.

lazarillo This initially appears to be a televised version of author Peter Benchley ripping off his own book "Jaws". Actually though it's worse than that--if anything Benchley is actually ripping off "Jaws 3" (not to mention the infamously crappy 70's film "Tentacles" which was itself a rip-off of "Jaws"). Like "Tentacles" this TV movie has a giant squid terrorizing a seaside community. But it also borrows a ridiculous conceit from "Jaws 3" by having TWO giant squid--the first an over-sized baby and the second the even larger mother out for revenge. Well, I'm no marine biologist but even I know that sharks and squids lay eggs and then abandon them and wouldn't know their offspring from any other shark or squid, so neither would be too motivated by revenge. But, much like the movie, let's leave logic aside.As in "Jaws" the main appeal is supposed to be the cast. But this movie doesn't have the stellar cast of "Jaws", or even "Jaws 3" or "Tentacles" for that matter. William Peterson is okay in the lead, but his usual intense, overly serious performance, which works in a movie like "Manhunter" or "To Live and Die in LA", just seems goofy in a movie like this. Larry Drake and Charles Martin Smith are better in smaller roles which they seem to take a lot less seriously. I have always suspected that Missy Crider, who plays Peterson's daughter, is actually Amy Locane with her hair dyed red (think about it--has anyone ever seen the two of them together?). Of course, Peterson also has an improbable love interest who works for the coast guard (so the American TV audience wouldn't think he was gay or anything), and his best friend and partner is black to show that even in remote Washington state fishing villages racial harmony has been achieved. The squid looks more real than the one in "Tentacles" (but then again so does your average dust mop). But it's just not enough to carry a three and a half hour movie.