BEAST (2026)

Genre: Drama/Sports
Director: Tyler Atkins
Cast: Daniel MacPherson, Russell Crowe, Mojean Aria, Bren Foster, George Burgess, Saphira Moran, Amy Shark, Matt Nable, Kelly Gale, Luke Hemsworth
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language and Nudity)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 23 July 2026

Synopsis: MMA legend Patton James, now a commercial fisherman, is pulled back into the cage when his brother is in danger. Reuniting with his old coach Sammy, he commits to one final fight in ONE Championship against its brutal champion Xavier Grau.

Movie Review:

Occasionally, audiences are treated to a boxing or MMA film. While the Creed and Rocky franchises remain the genre’s most popular titles, there are also underrated MMA movies such as Warrior, Never Back Down, and the Undisputed series. Australian actor Russell Crowe, who stars in and co-wrote Beast, gives MMA fans a welcome treat, proving there is still a market for stories about fighters stepping back into the cage.

Daniel MacPherson, best known for the Apple TV+ series Foundation, plays Patton James, a former MMA champion turned family man who now earns a living as a fisherman after serving a prison sentence. His glory days are long behind him, and he is now as broke as a church mouse. When a shady fight promoter, Gabriel (Luke Hemsworth), offers him the chance to face Xavier Grau (Bren Foster), the man he defeated years earlier, Patton in fact has little interest in making a comeback. However, everything changes when his younger brother, Malon (Mojean Aria), is killed during an unsanctioned fight with Xavier.

As expected, all hell breaks loose.

To say the least, Beast is a familiar sports drama about an underdog in this case, a working-class fighter well past his prime. Although the story is clichéd and highly predictable, Tyler Atkins’ direction, coupled with the screenplay by Russell Crowe and David Frigerio, takes its time developing the characters before building toward a powerful and emotionally satisfying climax. Patton’s return to the cage is driven not only by revenge for his estranged younger brother but also by a desire to prove that he is still a worthy champion.

Surrounded by an all-Australian cast, MacPherson delivers a committed and emotionally grounded performance as a man struggling to rebuild his life and make things right. Crowe, who famously portrayed boxer Jim Braddock in Ron Howard’s Cinderella Man, takes a supporting role as Patton’s ageing coach, Sammy, yet still commands the screen with his trademark charisma. Real-life martial artist Bren Foster is suitably intimidating as the ruthless Xavier while also serving as the film’s action choreographer. Although his character is rather one-dimensional, Foster’s physical presence makes him a convincing antagonist.

The fight scenes may be limited in number, but they are brutally realistic and intensely choreographed, capturing the gritty nature of MMA competition. Every punch, kick, and takedown carries weight, leaving both fighters battered and bloodied. As an added bonus, ONE Championship’s official involvement lends the film an extra layer of authenticity, making the fight sequences feel even more credible.

Beast succeeds as an engaging sports drama about an underdog fighter seeking redemption. Its strong technical craftsmanship, impressive cinematography, and committed performances elevate what is otherwise a familiar story. You’ll find yourself rooting for Patton James by the final round, even if there’s little here that you haven’t already seen in countless boxing and MMA films before.

Movie Rating:

(Beast delivers brutal, hard-hitting fight sequences and solid performances but its formulaic story prevents it from standing alongside the genre’s very best)

Review by Linus Tee