Carl Roberts 
“More about how man is the more vicious killer than any shark, Dangerous Animals is a superb, scary, and chilling movie. Jai Courtney is superb.”
Dangerous Animals is a 2025 Australian survival horror film. It features a brilliant cast, led by Hassie Harrison as the tough American surfer/ free spirit Zephyr. The cast also features Josh Heuston, Rob Carlton, Ella Newton and Liam Greinke. But the incredible Jai Courtney as the villain of the piece, Tucker, takes the plaudits. Directed by Sean Byrne and written by Nick Lepard, the film opens in cinemas this Friday. Being a shark film, can the film rise above the surface and deliver chills and scares in equal measure? Or is the film a load of old stinking chum, best left overboard to sink?
PREMISE
A savvy and free-spirited surfer is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer. Held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.
THOUGHTS
Let’s get this out of the way early. The film isn’t a shark film in the traditional sense. Yes, the beautiful but lethal predators are prevalent in the movie. But they are not the villains here. Anyone expecting to go in and see yet another rip-off of Jaws is in for a shock, in a nice way. This is more of a battle of wits between a serial killer and a free-spirited young woman he intends to feed to sharks. Of course, the finned creatures get their teeth into a human or two, but that’s not the film’s crux. Think of a mix between the outstanding Australian thriller Dead Calm from 1988, Open Water and The Shallows, and you’ll get the general idea. However, the film is more than that. It has the audience biting their fingernails to the quick almost immediately.
The opening sets the tone for what’s to come. Two tourists wish to take Tucker’s shark diving expedition/excursion. After setting off for their cage diving exploits, we get some humour and bonding that we wouldn’t expect. With Tucker’s pre-dive ritual song (a great piece of comedic brilliance here), we go under the waves. The photography of the sharks in their natural habitat is incredible in this sequence. After the pair emerge from the cage and back onto the boat, Tucker shows his true colours, sending us on the start of a nightmarish trip through the film. And believe me, you haven’t seen anything yet.
HASSIE HARRISON
Hassie Harrison toplines the film as the brave Zephyr, the kidnapped female who matches wits with the deranged Tucker. The actress is incredible in a strong performance that ranks her amongst the best female heroes on film. She is almost like Ripley in Aliens, controlling her fear for the most part, being strong and gutsy while also showing an emotional side that makes us like her from the first time we meet her. We follow her journey from tourist to would-be victim to the clever and strong-willed female we know her to be. Zephyr, at times, is uncompromising in her desire to outwit her captor, to turn the tables on him and make him suffer. Hassie Harrison firmly creates a heroine that we cheer on, cheer for and punch the air with delight with every small victory she gains over Tucker. Every tear she sheds isn’t sadness or weakness, but her anger and frustration at her predicament and/or the helplessness she feels towards the other victims.
JOSH HEUSTON
Josh Heuston as Moses, we think, will be the hero in this scary story. Except, he isn’t. Moses has a one-night stand with Zephyr before her abduction, leading him to try and track her down as she leaves him before breakfast. Once he starts to realise the truth, Moses swings into action. Heuston does get to have some crunchy fight moments with Courtney, but he isn’t the action hero we expect him to be. Instead of rescuing the girl, the girl has to rescue him in a neat twist to the formula. Heuston is extremely amiable as Moses. We can’t help but like him and fear the worst for him. Against Tucker, Moses stands little chance of winning. The actor portrays this with aplomb. He gives us a character that, while we enjoy his presence, has us fearing that he will become a shark’s meal before the end credits. Heuston gives a winning performance here.
JAI COURTNEY
However, Jai Courtney takes the acting honours as the unhinged, psychotic Tucker. You may have seen him play villains before. Not like this you haven’t. This is Courtney’s best performance to date. There are no redeeming features about Tucker at all. He truly is insane. Clever but certifiable. Charming but psychotic. Courtney here is the real deal. The ease with which he slips into Tucker’s shoes and commits helpless females (and males, to a certain degree) to a horrible and nasty fate has us fearing him throughout. Even in his quieter moments, he exudes a menace that has us on edge. For every joke he tells, every funny line he lands, but in a scary way. There is no humour in his humour, if you will. Instead, it is gallows humour, knowing that the person he is telling a story or joke to will end up in the belly of a shark. He, like Zephyr, is one of the Dangerous Animals the title refers to. Not the sharks, but a human being.
You would think the film’s title would represent sharks. Not at all. It represents the fact that the most vilest and dangerous animal on the planet is man, and it is on display here. Courtney knows and understands this with his role, and he plays up to it brilliantly. While sharks are fearsome, without a doubt, their violence is nothing compared to that of mankind. Both are predators; both are capable of violent and vicious attacks. But whereas a shark has it built into them, mankind chooses to become that way. For no discernible reason, Tucker abducts his victims, mentally torturing them before watching their deaths for perverse pleasure. They know they are about to die; they can see their deaths coming. Tucker takes great pleasure in watching their fear, deaths, and the sharks feeding upon them. He even videotapes them to rewatch later, to recall their final moments. Courtney is superb here.
WRITING AND DIRECTION
Nick Lepard’s screenplay is terrific. He turns the tropes of shark movies on their heads. Instead of creating a run-of-the-mill thriller that will fade from memory before the end credits have finished, he has written something that not only stays with you after you’ve gone home but actually makes us think. He could have easily fallen into the trap of showing sharks, as many inferior movies have done before, as mindless killers. Instead, he shows them as what they indeed are, beautiful and graceful animals that are misunderstood and mistakenly labelled. He makes them the innocent pawns in mankind’s game of death. Lepard also writes the human drama and scares brilliantly. This is an excellent effort from the writer.
Sean Byrne’s direction is astonishing. He not only shows the cruelty of man and the lengths he will go to during his lifetime, but he also shows sharks in their natural environment beautifully. His direction of the human cast is terrific, but his shots of the fearsome creatures below the surface are breathtaking. Byrne directs his actors to elicit some heartfelt and believable performances from them while also not shying away from some scenes that will have us squirming in our seats. At a tight 98 minutes in length, Byrne doesn’t waste a single shot. We allow our eyes to roam the scene to see what he has captured, and he makes the film entertaining, amusing and unnerving.
VERDICT
More about how man is the more vicious killer than any shark, Dangerous Animals is a superb, scary, and chilling movie. Jai Courtney is superb throughout in a villainous role for the ages. All the characters in the film are fleshed out; there are no one-dimensional characters involved. Each character we meet on our journey is a vital component of what makes the film so enjoyable. This is all down to the cast’s performances, the crisp writing involved and a director who is passionate about what he is bringing to the audience. This is a tale that could so easily have been another bargain basement, straight-to-streaming affair. Instead, it more than earns its right to gain a cinematic release.
Of course, a Great White shark makes an appearance. But instead of being a mindless, fearsome serial killer of the deep, it is shown as it should be, a creature that is one of nature’s wonders. This is a highlight of the film. It is given a big build-up, as could be expected. But becomes something that amazes instead of scaring us. Every shark in the movie is handled the same way, with respect and reverence. Instead, the human characters are shown in a poor light at times. This is a naturistic horror film, but it is the nature of mankind that we must fear and be horrified by. In that respect, Dangerous Animals is a triumph. It’s a complete blast from beginning to end. The ocean leaves no trace. Dangerous Animals will undoubtedly leave their mark. A film with real bite.
Dangerous Animals will be in cinemas from Friday, courtesy of Vertigo Releasing.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
