The naturalist Chevalier de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan) is sent by the King along with his Iroquois valet Mani (Mark Dacascos) to capture or kill the Beast where the local guard have failed.
Shenanigans ensue.
CW: hunting, animal slaughter, rape, incest
This is a romantic period drama, Western, monster hunt, Hammer style pulp horror and martial arts movie all in one.
A great rambling shaggy dog story told by one of the minor characters all in flashback as he faces execution in the revolution.
How on earth the Director kept it all together I don't really know but they managed a feat of genre busting madness.
It's hugely long for its era but so much happens it doesn't matter. We don't even know if the fabled Beast exists until halfway through when some movies would be winding up. Spoiler: it both does and doesn't.
If you haven't seen this it's a treat 9/10, awesome.