Well, you can’t seem to take the beast out of a car, nor can you create infinite petards to destroy the near-unbreakable vessel carrying the President of the United States.

Deep Blue Sea director Renny Harlin crafts a fun, claustrophobic tale with the President of the United States (played by Samuel L. Jackson) and his security detail agent Taft (Joel Kinnaman) journeying in their indestructible car (or shall we say, Batmobile) across the war zones and streets infested with blood and guns, as terrorists are out to hunt them down as they head to their extraction point. However, the bloodshed runs rampant as the violence escalates, and there seems to be no end in sight, as the United States and the world have been attacked. The President also reminisces about his days in the Vietnam War and the violence ensuing around him now, while keeping in mind his wife Rosa and when he will see her once again.

And for a film that keeps full throttle for its 99-minute runtime, despite some narrative cooldowns and murky reasoning for the enemies, it does not disappoint. Most of it can be attributed to Samuel L. Jackson’s engaging performance. As he has throughout his coveted film career, Jackson’s natural charisma and onscreen range never lose viewers’ attention as he takes the driver’s seat (pun intended). Kinnaman works aptly with Jackson, taking inspiration from wounded Mr. Orange in Reservoir Dogs.

The action serves its purpose, drawing on ideas from The Purge series or the Grand Theft Auto/Saints Row game series. Most of the green-screen effects from the special effects team are mundane and clumsy, but there is a purpose in keeping the action and story, however little, confined to the car.

It’s a fun little set piece in the grand realm of the action thriller, and it does the job of suitable entertainment, thanks to Mr. Jackson’s contributions. The Beast is a neat throwback to movies of yesteryear.