While the notion of Jackson and Harlin teaming up again may stir some excitement in the hearts of old-school genre fans, even they will struggle to muster enthusiasm.

The film is about as silly as I hope I’ve made it sound and, more egregiously, tedious to boot.

The role gives Jackson a lot to chew on, and to his credit, as always, he modulates between big and not-so-big with exemplary canniness.

"The Beast" gets mileage (pun intended) out of its limited set-up but is mainly an example of how real movie star power can hold one's attention in a yawn-fest.