There are some great performances here, notably from Copley, but Beast often feels too contrived and preposterously overblown.

Audiences will turn up because a trailer promised to show them one of our most charismatic A-listers in a boxing match with a roided-out kitty cat... In that sense, it’s impossible to argue that Beast doesn’t live up to its promise.

'Beast' delivers on its simple premise, offering an effective survival thriller; nothing more, nothing less.

It's an admirable attempt but audiences who simply want to see Elba duking it out with a lion will be sorely disappointed.