A One Mann’s Movies review of “Too Many Beasts”. (From the 2026 London Film Festival). (2026, 3*, ’15’).
Original title: L’espèce explosive
If you are into quirky French comedy films, this one is for you. Sadly, although excited by the premise, this didn’t quite deliver to my expectations.
One Mann’s Movies Rating:
Plot:
Farmers and hunters are openly at war in the rural town of Sérieux. Wild boars are ruining crops and putting everyone on edge. When a local farmer mysteriously disappears, the gendarme Orsini (Alexis Manenti) – battling his own demons – is put on the case. As he reluctantly teams up with psychologist Stéphane Danjir (Ella Rumpf), the investigation gradually spirals out of control.
Certification:
UK: NR; US: NR. (This film has not yet received a classification by the BBFC, but I would expect it to be a 15 based on scenes of violence and one very explicit sex scene.)
Talent:
Starring: Alexis Manenti, Ella Rumpf, Vincent Dedienne, Jean-Louis Coulloc’h, Pascal Rénéric, Bernard Blancan, Thierry Godard, Mathieu Perotto, Xavier de Guillebon.
Directed by: Sarah Arnold.
Written by: Sarah Arnold, Jérémie Dubois, Olivier Seror, Romain Winkler, Mehdi Ben Attia.
Running Time: 1h 35m.
Review:
Positives:
- I can definitely confirm that this was a comedy as it broke the 6 laughs test. And it was mildly amusing throughout. Some elements – for example, a drug-infused road trip and woodland encounter for Orsini (Alexis Manenti) and Danjir (Ella Rumpf) – are hilarious.
- Talking of the actress, Ella Rumpf for me gives the performance of the film as the incredibly sexy police psychiatrist assigned to work in a storage cupboard by the misogynist police chief Marchal (Bertrand Belin). After she discovers there is a perfectly good training room she could be using instead (“The training room is for training” states Marchal, matter of fact-ly) her rage is brilliantly portrayed.
- The character of Orsini is nicely realised: barely clinging on to sanity he so constantly pesters his ex, Leila, on the phone that he is specifically mentioned in her voicemail message! Orsini is like a coiled spring: “What’s it like when you snap?” he is asked. “A shit show” he replies. Originating from Corsica, his new boss comments that “if the station blows up, we’ll know who to blame”! With a brilliant mind, we only discover his chequered past progressively as the film unwinds, which I liked.
- The number of boars used in the production is impressive. I don’t think they were CGI realised, so hats off to the ‘boar wrangler’ on the movie.
Negatives:
- I’m afraid I never once believed the attraction between Orsini and Danjir. Putting it bluntly, Ella Rumpf is about a 9 (in a strickingly French way) and Alexis Manenti (sorry mate!) is scraping a 6.
- There is a sex scene near the end of the film that people who are not comfortable with watching sex at the cinema will be extremely uncomfortable with!
Summary Thoughts:
As a quirky French comedy, it’s fun while its on. But to be honest, it’s not a film that is going to stay with me for more than a week or two. I think there have been better comedies already in the first week of my LFF screenings.
Where to watch?
Trailer:
No trailer for the film is available yet. Here is a clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYhFeNR4s90.
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