Thomas Storai 
“Animals is a gripping crime thriller about a kidnapping with high stakes that test the characters throughout the story, all against the backdrop of an election campaign”
Animals is Ben Affleck’s latest film, which he directs and co-writes with Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray. The film stars Affleck alongside Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington, Steve Yeun, Adriana Paz, and Luis Gerardo Méndez. It releases today on Netflix.
THE PREMISE
Animals follows Los Angeles mayoral candidate Mark Kimball (Ben Affleck) and his wife (Kerry Washington), who have only a few hours to raise a large ransom to save their son. But with his campaign at stake and all his funds directed toward that goal, the couple must face difficult decisions.
STORY
This film is a crime thriller about a kidnapping. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, and it doesn’t have to. It takes inspiration from classic kidnapping films. Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low is clearly an inspiration, especially in how Mark Kimball is torn between what he should do, how his decisions will affect his career, and how he can possibly come up with that much money. Despite drawing on classics, the film still finds its own voice.
The tension rapidly builds once Kimball’s son is kidnapped. An anxious atmosphere hangs over the film. The kidnapping obviously puts Kimball in a difficult position, as he’s in the middle of a campaign and has spent all his money on it. He has a lot at stake. As a public figure, this situation could make or break his election campaign. It’s not just about getting his son back; it’s also about protecting his political career. There’s a palpable conflict within him over what he should do, and that’s compelling to watch. This situation truly tests him as a person. Throughout the story, the audience judges his decisions and sees who he really is. Nuanced characters are always intriguing, especially when they’re placed in complicated situations like this.
On top of that, the kidnapping creates tension between him and his wife and exposes some truths that neither of them intended to face. There’s plenty of drama on that side of the story, too. A lot happens during the 106-minute runtime. There are twists and surprises, some of which you can see coming, but the way they’re executed makes them worthwhile. Overall, it’s a gripping crime thriller, even though some aspects of the kidnapping could have been developed better toward the end, and the beginning takes a few minutes too long to set up the story.
CAST
Moreover, Ben Affleck leads a great ensemble cast. He delivers a mesmerizing performance, balancing explosive anger with more composed moments. He’s really convincing as a mayoral candidate, playing the role like a real politician. Gillian Anderson is another highlight of the cast. She delivers a cold and calculated performance as the woman who comes in to fix the situation. Gillian brings a presence that immediately commands the audience’s attention. When she’s on screen, you know things are serious. Kerry Washington is amazing, too, delivering a heartfelt performance.
VERDICT
Animals is a gripping crime thriller about a high-stakes kidnapping that tests the characters throughout the story, all against the backdrop of an election campaign. It doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it still finds its own way. Ben Affleck doesn’t disappoint as a director, writer, and actor, leading a great ensemble cast.
Animals releases today on Netflix.
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