Leonardo DiCaprio thriller with brutal 21% Rotten Tomatoes rating now streaming for free

A Leonardo DiCaprio flick that didn't impress critics has just landed on BBC iPlayer.

Even though DiCaprio has become a Hollywood titan, the now 50-year-old actor faced a bump early in his career trajectory. Hot on the heels of his Titanic success in 1997, he took on a role in The Beach, which was panned by reviewers.

Helmed by Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle, the film charts the tale of American traveller Richard (DiCaprio), who heads to Thailand in pursuit of something extraordinary.

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Upon arrival, he's handed a map leading to an idyllic spot known as 'The Beach,' and sets off to find it. But Richard's vision of utopia is quickly shattered when the island reveals its true colours.

First hitting screens in 2000, The Beach can now be streamed for free on , reports .

The suspenseful movie draws from Alexander Garland's acclaimed novel, which captivated readers, but its cinematic rendition didn't quite charm cinema buffs.

Renowned critic Roger Ebert branded the mystery drama as 'confused', a view shared by fellow critics and audiences alike. In his two-star critique, Ebert also penned: "Watching The Beach is like experiencing a script conference where only sequences are discussed–never the whole film.

"What is it about, anyway? There are the elements here for a romantic triangle, for a man-against-the-jungle drama, for a microcosm-of-civilization parable or for a cautionary lesson about trying to be innocent in a cruel ."

Critics on Rotten Tomatoes also lambasted the film for being "unfocused and muddled." They gave it a dismal 21 per cent rating, while audiences were slightly more forgiving with a 57 per cent score.

Despite the marginally better rating from users on the movie-rating platform, the majority of their reviews are far from positive.

One viewer expressed their disappointment, saying: "I loved Leo's acting, but this movie was painful to watch, awful plot annoying characters, plot holes. Could have been better."

Another person didn't mince words, writing: "The worst movie I have seen this year. Totally misses the point of the book, and does not do justice to how great the book is."

A third reviewer lamented: "Need the last 2 hours of my life back."

However, amidst the sea of negative feedback, some viewers found The Beach enjoyable.

"A fantastic watch if you like drama and romance. Has a sense of danger to it that keeps you watching and on edge. This film is underrated and tends to fly under the radar. Give it a chance," one fan advocated.

The Beach is streaming now on BBC iPlayer. The film is also available to stream on Disney+.