AMC's 'The Beast Must Die' Trailer Teases A Tense And Dramatic Tale Of Revenge
Instead of focusing on solving a crime or hunting down a seasoned sexual predator, AMC's newest show The Beast Must Die features a heartbroken mother out for revenge against the man who killed her son. British actress Cash Jumbo (The Good Fight, Postcard Killings) stars alongside Jared Harris (Mad Men, Chernobyl), who is the target of her grief-fuelled aggression. Take a look at The Beast Must Die trailer below and see if your heart doesn't immediately start racing, or breaking for that matter.
The Beast Must Die Trailer
Beast of Burden
While revenge can be sweet, there is that lingering sour component before and after the deed is done. The question of whether or not one should stoop to the level of their attacker, abuser, or killer. Will killing the person really resolve your pain? It seems like there will be elements of this internal conflict in the show as Frances (Cash Jumbo) continues to tell herself she will kill the man responsible for her son's death. The repetition could translate as dedication or doubt later on.
However, Frances doesn't immediately translate as someone on par with Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill, a character who lacks mercy, forgiveness, and compassion in her quest for revenge. It's also interesting to see Frances transform and immerse herself into the world of her target instead of sneaking around the shadows. Ultimately, I wonder if the "beast" that must die isn't the man responsible for her son's death but rather grief itself.
A Mother's Quest for Revenge
The story is a modern adaptation of Nicholas Blake's 1938 novel of the same name and shot on the Isle of Wight (a gorgeous island that looks perfect for a dreamy vacation or intense murder story). In an interview with IndieWire, writer Gaby Chiappe (Their Finest) brroke down the book's differences and explains why they gender-swapped the main character. She said:
"In the book, Cush's character is actually male. Instinctively, it felt rather familiar now, and I was personally much more interested in that character as a woman. The mechanics about forensics change. But what's happening internally to people, that journey is still the same."
All of the season's episodes are directed by Dome Karukoski (Tolkien) and feature an array of talented supporting cast members including Geraldine James (Downton Abbey, Back to Life), Nathaniel Parker (The Inspector Lynley Mysteries, The Outcast), Maeve Dermody (Marcella, Carnival Row), Douggie McMeekin (Chernobyl, Harlots), Mia Tomlinson (The Lost Pirate Kingdom) and Barney Sayburn.
Here's the official synopsis for the series from AMC:
After learning the police investigation into the fatal hit and run of her young son Martie has been dropped, Frances Cairnes (Cash Jumbo) takes matters into her own hands. Posing as a novelist researching a new murder-mystery, Frances ingratiates herself with the family of George Rattery (Jared Harris), the man she suspects is responsible, and sets a plan in action to kill him. She's tracked by detective Nigel Strangeways (Billy Howle, The Serpent, MotherFatherSon), who has reason to believe his department covered up George's involvement in the incident. Suffering from PTSD following the recent death of his partner, Strangeways throws himself into pursuing justice for Martie. But when he discovers an "undercover" Frances living with George and his family, Strangeways finds himself working to both prove George's guilt and head off Frances's plans for revenge before anyone else dies.
The Beast Must Die premieres on July 5, 2021 on AMC+ and arrives on AMC on July 12, 2021.