If you're thinking of going someplace exotic or finding a movie to go to someplace exotic, Bangkok and the beach are not your answer. This is an extremely unpleasant film because it is an unpleasant view of the society that none of us fortunately ever have to witness because we avoid it, and it's an ugliness that should not be confused as entertainment. The audience is going to be manipulated by the beauty of the paradise that is seen, but when the twist comes, it's 1 so unpleasant and reprehensible that you wish you would never taken the trip. If there's one thing that this film shows, it's the view of Americans that is not favorable in places like this, not as long as they can't get cash out of you or destroy your soul in the process, and that seems to be what's going to happen to Leonardo DiCaprio here.

For one thing, he's staying and probably one of the most disgusting hostels or hotels or whatever you want to call this place here, a place where people can literally get on a chair and look into your bedroom and harass you to see if you have drugs. That results in the discovery of a suicide in the room next to DiCaprio's, as well as a map to the so-called paradise of a beach. There are so many other movies that show paradise is like this, that you can easily avoid taking this trip which leads to the voyager on the road to ruin. It's also a very manipulative movie, negative in ways that it doesn't show directly on screen, but with motivations that are ugly shallow and dangerous, especially to the target audience got it was made for in 2000.

If I encountered 90% of the people in this movie while on a trip, I would be on the next plane out of there. I couldn't imagine having such an unpleasant vacation, and where DiCaprio is lead can only results in one thing. Yes, this was a big blockbuster at the time, but time is always the judge in movies like this, and seeing it again, I see it for what it is, and it is not enjoyable in any way. Shallow disgusting characters, horrible writing, a direction that's all over the place, and so many unbelievable ridiculous situations makes this one of the most disturbing films of modern times, a film with such disgusting messages that is a catastrophe to think that this ever got the light of day from a major Hollywood studio.

Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) comes to Bangkok looking for something crazy different from his safe life. He meets wild man Daffy (Robert Carlyle) who later commits suicide leaving him a map to a secret beach. He convinces French couple Françoise (Virginie Ledoyen) and Étienne (Guillaume Canet) to join him. The island is in a prohibited nature reserve and growing vast amounts of marijuana under guard. They escape the criminals and find their way to the beach already occupied by a society of young people led by Sal (Tilda Swinton).

Leo is a young unlikeable brat. Françoise lacks the charisma despite being very hot. Their chemistry is hampered by the presence of her boyfriend. They don't have much chemistry even without her boyfriend. They do make a hot couple. The film is unfocused. Danny Boyle jazzes up this adventure but it's missing its heart.

Paradise - the search of it. Where are we at home? Could we live anywhere? Could we do without all the technical gadgets? I'm not saying living alone (though for some that may be the way to do and live it),but living without certain things that make life "easier" ... or at least that is how we perceive it.

Nature can be quite the enticing thing. And it is in this movie too. The Beach that lends the movie the title is quite the sight. And for a vacation spot ... I mean you could do far worse. Now there had been rumors that the filming was done on a beach or in a place that was supposed to not be touched by western civilization ... I remember Leonardo DiCaprio getting quite a lot of heat because some activists were not happy with him.

I can't confirm if they actually loitered or ruined nature in one way or another. If that really interests you, you surely will know a way to find out. I just thought I give an insentive to those who are interested in behind the scenes thing - real or not. Then there is also those who may take offense in the portrayal of certain animals (feeding into our fears and portraying them way more evil than they actually are - talking sharks here).

The movie itself is quite the decent thriller. Because the Paradise is not all fun and games. It is also filled with cliches and quite the predictable plot. Still the movie knows to hold up its tension and has quite a few gruesome moments too (graphic violence that is). Not a bad movie then, but not a masterpiece either in my book (while I came to finally admire Leo, his character here is not as relatable - choices and such. There's a general detachment from it all)