'Behemoth!' Review: A Rich and Rewarding Symphony of Storytelling
By Alex Gilston - October 18, 2026
Tony Gilroy leaves the Star Wars universe behind to write and direct a love letter to the process of scoring music for films in Behemoth!. Music is an integral part of any film, individual instruments coming together to guide us through a piece of filmmaking, nudging us to feel happy or sad, and excited or scared. It holds our hand through thick and thin and Gilroy highlights the importance of its presence quite like no film has before.
What is Behemoth! about?
In Behemoth!, Alex (Pedro Pascal) is a nationally renowned cellist who moves back to LA to work on scoring films. In the heat of the musical moment we’re thrust back through various points from his past. Alex is tested professionally and personally, dealing with lost loves, family trauma, all surrounded by a burgeoning mystery that could change everything.
Behemoth! is a life told through song; it plateaus in the quieter moments, swoons through the romantic ones, and intensifies through moments of joy and sorrow. It matches the protagonist's feelings to paint a vivid portrait of his mind. The baring of a soul without the utterance of words. Pascal’s performance is in some ways at arms length, Alex’s upbringing has affected the way he interacts with those around him. Much of his portrayal can be experienced through his facial expressions; those sad eyebrows do a lot of heavy lifting. Through this though the score sings and in fact speaks for Alex on his behalf. Like his true voice trying to break free from himself however only managing to break through the screen to us the audience.
Pascal’s performance is propped up by some great supporting players. Will Arnett plays Alex’s distant podcaster brother Andy, with a healthy dollop of low self esteem having lived in Alex’s shadow much of his life. Eva Victor makes their presence known as Nadia, a one night stand of Alex’s despite the lack of screen time. But it’s Olivia Wilde that steals the show as Alex’s jilted ex-lover Carol. Her presence is utterly commanding and she offers up many of Behemoth!’s laughs.
What begins as a fractured mosaic of Alex’s life slowly comes together to create a more textured image. Storylines converge when he believes he might be the biological father of one of Nadia’s children - Viviana. His ambling draw towards her culminates in one of Behemoth!’s best scenes. When he finds himself on the team to play cello for a film she is scoring he is asked to stay behind to help her work on something. The two play music with each other, Alex on the cello and Viviana on the piano. A lot is left unsaid at this moment but their communication through the music is beautiful. It’s a crescendo of Alex’s odyssey pouring out his heart in the best way he knows how.
Behemoth! may not rock the boat, and it may tread familiar narrative ground, but it does it in such a way that makes it impossible not to love. The warring timeline of Alex’s story is stitched together through melody and music to create a rich symphony worthy of its protagonist.
'Behemoth!' releases in cinemas on December 4, 2026.
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Alex Gilston
Senior Writer
Alex is a film critic, and self confessed Disney expert. His passion for film is huge, so to be able to write and talk about them is a personal dream of his.
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