...........................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA...and ORLANDO, FL My wife and I caught this at the Orlando Film Festival. Overall, I'm glad we did. GENRES Listed here for LOVE The BEAST are: Documentary; Sports Documentaries; Car Culture; Motorsports...among others. They should have added: Eric Bana! The three major draws here are: A) Car Culture--If you are REALLY into cars, you'll probably LOVE it! As one would tend to gather from the title, The BEAST is an extremely intense labor of love. When you come right down to it, this film is more love story than it is Documentary.B) Racing-- Over half this "DOC" is full-bore, super-charged racing in the 5-day, grueling annual race in Tasmania. There are some excellent crash sequences, taken with on-board cameras; and, of course...C) Eric Bana--I think he is the primary reason my wife seemed to enjoy this a tad more than I did! Despite the fact that neither of us have more than a tepid interest in any of the A) B) or C) options, we were surprised at how much we both enjoyed BEAST. Watching someone on screen share a single-mindedness of purpose that is the result of a lifelong passion/obsession, is virally infectious! It is certainly something you almost never encounter in the workaday world.So overwhelming and intimidating are Bana's energy, focus and "try, try, try again" determination, that it gives me pause to re-evaluate his movie acting career and watch more films in which he appears! Please note that Eric Bana also Directs and is listed as one of the Producers. So, LOVE the BEAST is a classic example of putting your money where your muffler is! Ooops! Wait a minute...600+ Horsepower Racing Muscle Cars don't have mufflers, now do they?! My Rating: 8* My wife's: 9*.....ENJOY/DISFRUTELA!

Eric Bana grew up near the airport in Melbourne. He and his mates were nowhere near the beach and grew up with a love of the muscle car. They decide to build their car and enter The Targa Tasmania Rally.This also has Jay Leno and Dr. Phil put in their two cents worth. I don't mind Jay because he has a connection with cars. I can do without Dr. Phil and his psycho babble. Bana may think that it is significant but it is not dramatic. The movie isn't particularly dramatic. There's no suspense in the racing or the need to race. Bana doesn't do it for the money or even the prize. So the result is unimportant and I don't really care about any psychological needs. Being a hobby also diminishes the tension. This is a professionally made home movie.

As a petrol head or gear head myself, I find this movie extremely easy to relate to and understand. The dedication and connection he has with his car is understandable to me, and the dream he had since his childhood is one that most petrol heads can find common ground in. "Fate, luck and circumstance" took him away from his passion, but his passion for cars, specifically his Falcon are something so many can comprehend. This movie shows the trials, tribulations, and hardships that come with having a car addiction. I've been brought to tears watching a car drive away and felt the emptiness when something happens to the car. Cars are an extension of our personalities, they're than an analog or digital machine, they become a part of us and a part of our lives. This movie is one of the first that has shown the automotive scene in such a positive light through dedication. It allows people a glimpse at the choices and the desires we have as car nuts, and gives them a grasp for what makes our wheels turn. This movie is a must-see for anyone that loves cars.

I just saw this today 1/3/10 and loved each and every second of it.It seems that Mr. Bana and I have similar tastes in our love of cars. His a Falcon (what we in the U.S. looks to be a Ford Torino) and mine a Dodge Charger. We both love our cars in a way that is hard to understand by someone who is not a serious gear head.The documentary shows a love of cars by Mr. Bana and his friends growing up that had the same appreciation of the automobileSeeing this film makes me appreciate my love of muscle cars that much better.The documentary contains an insightful cameo by TV host, Jay Leno. An annoying one by BBC Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson and something in-between by Dr. Phil McGraw.