After a 12-year hiatus from directing films (despite rumors that he ghost-directed Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)) and several years spent creating the hit Star Wars show Andor (2022-2025), Tony Gilroy has returned to the big screen with Behemoth! starring Pedro Pascal, Olivia Wilde, Eva Victor, and Will Arnett. The film follows Alex Serian (Pascal), a successful and renowned cellist who leaves a prominent gig in Chicago to return home to Los Angeles and play in film score recording sessions. 

Switching between timelines over 16 years, the movie utilizes a fascinating structure to tell its story, especially in the first two-thirds. As Alex plays different music cues for films, he’s taken back to different points in his life that reflect those scores. We see him in a couple of exciting chase and heist-like sequences as well as more somber and romantic scenes, covering the full breadth of emotions we can feel from this music. The structure is jarring at first, with the only real indicator of where we’re at in the timeline being Alex’s changing hairstyle and color — although I think we can all agree it’s a positive thing to pay more attention to Pascal’s beautiful face. Once you get used to how the story is told, it’s easy to follow the music.

While jolting, the structure makes sense. Music is one of the most powerful artistic creations in the world, bringing instant emotion to any moment. I’m sure there are plenty of songs or albums we listen back to that remind us of the first time we heard them or a particular moment in our lives. For me, it’s cathartic to drive around and listen to Relient K’s “Forget and Not Slow Down,” working through different emotions and thinking about how the album has helped me through some of the worst parts of my life. Think of how much more powerful it would be to play through different compositions and actively work through things you can’t get out of your mind. Behemoth! has a story, but it’s more about how music weaves in and out of our lives at different moments. It brings us back to those times when we hear it again.

Pascal’s Alex is, at times, a frustrating character, floating through life without taking much action. This passivity leaves him mostly alone, wading in and out of relationships with Nadia (Victor) and Carol (Wilde) and estranged from his brother Andy (Arnett). Alex lets things happen to him, running from what he can’t deal with or staying silent when he could speak up. Looking back on his life through these flashbacks, he feels a lot of regret. It’s a very internal performance, one that’s hard to get recognition for compared to more bombastic, over-the-top, makeup- and prosthetic-driven performances. But that doesn’t make it any less brilliant. You can see the change in his eyes and demeanor when he decides to act. It’s invigorating. 

Pascal’s performance leaves plenty of room for the supporting cast to shine when they share the screen. Wilde brings the same kinetic energy from The Invite (2026) to Carol, the wife of a major donor to the Chicago Symphony who has been sleeping with Alex and can’t fathom him not wanting to continue on with her. She provides the laugh-out-loud moments every time she appears, both menacing and determined. At times, it seems like her eyes are about to pop out of her head from how intently she stares at Alex. 

Arnett is understated but feels wholly lived-in even with limited screen time. He and Pascal have some emotional moments together that make their brotherhood believable without much time spent laying the groundwork for their relationship. 

Victor has the least amount of time in the film, but their performance steals the spotlight at every turn. Nadia and Alex meet at a small performance in Dallas in 2010, and their chemistry is immediately palpable. Victor brings such a presence and strength that blends well with Pascal’s soft, gentle demeanor. Nadia only has a couple of scenes, but her presence looms large over the rest of the film in more ways than one. 

It’s hard to talk about Behemoth! without bringing up The Behemoth! Collective, the group of nine composers Gilroy and team brought on to compose the wide array of music needed for a film set in this world. The full list includes Michael Abels, Emily Bear, Lukas Frank, Michael Giacchino, James Newton Howard, Henry Jackman, Nami Melumad, Brandon Roberts, and Alan Silvestri. These esteemed composers had to form a collective to be eligible for the Academy Award for Best Original Score because the Academy caps the award at three individuals as potential nominees. Each member was brought on to bring different voices to each element of the film, since most of the music is meant to be part of the score of several different fictional films that Alex is working on. 

Gilroy’s return to the big screen may not be the overwhelming triumph we all hoped for, but it’s still great. His love letter to film scores is rooted in excellent performances from Pascal and Victor, and speaks to how music can heal us and remind us where we’ve been and how we got to where we are. It’s more than a story; it’s the full cinematic experience. 

Review Courtesy of Cameron K. Ritter

Feature image credit to Searchlight Pictures