Beauty and the Beast
2012
Original language: English
- drama
- sci-fi & fantasy
The story
Detective Catherine Chandler is a smart, no-nonsense homicide detective. When she was a teenager, she witnessed the murder of her mother at the hands of two gunmen and herself was saved by someone – or something. Years have passed and while investigating a murder, Catherine discovers a clue that leads her to Vincent Keller, who was reportedly killed in 2002. Catherine learns that Vincent is actually still alive and that it was he who saved her many years before. For mysterious reasons that have forced him to live outside of traditional society, Vincent has been in hiding for the past 10 years to guard his secret – when he is enraged, he becomes a terrifying beast, unable to control his super-strength and heightened senses.
What it’s like
Cool, muted palette of New York at night: wet asphalt, sodium streetlamps, and the warm amber glow of Vincent's underground tunnels, lit by candles, lanterns and the odd bare bulb. The camera tends toward steady two-shots and over-the-shoulder framing in precinct rooms and dim apartments, with slow pushes in on faces during quiet exchanges, and the procedural scenes move with brisk, handheld energy. Sound leans on a soft orchestral score with piano and strings, swelling into tension when the beast surfaces, while the tunnel world sounds hushed, dripping and close. Its vibe is romantic melancholy with a crime-procedural spine, the kind of show that suits a rainy evening on the sofa or a comfort rewatch with a mug of tea. Pacing is episodic, with a case-of-the-week rhythm threaded through a slow-burning bond between two lonely people, one guarded and one carrying a secret. Violence is present but contained: occasional gunfire, fistfights and a few tense, grisly crime scenes, with the beast's rage shown in bursts of rough, frightening physicality rather than gore. Sexual content is mild and mostly implied, and the emotional register stays earnest and tender. It is for viewers who enjoy a gentle romance laced with danger, a strong female lead and a fairy-tale sense of longing.
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