Why the Animals movie with Ben Affleck is a huge disappointment

If a movie has Ben Affleck Animals heat, you expect a thriller one that you can sink your teeth into. One where you forget your phone and halfway through check if you locked the back door. But with this Netflix movie, the tension seems to have disappeared as quickly as an escape attempt. Which is quite strange considering you have stars like Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington in front of the camera. How can a film with such big names make so little impact? We know the answer. Just believe us: Animals you can definitely skip.

What is Animals about

In this film, Ben Affleck doesn't play a secret agent, but the wealthy lawyer Mark Kimball who wants to become the mayor of Los Angeles. With his grand house, a stunning wife Abigail (Kerry Washington), and a son, his life seems like a fairy tale for the tabloids. But nothing could be further from the truth. Mark secretly siphons off money from their joint assets for his campaign. And Abigail? She is having an affair.

However, all their personal problems fade into the background when their son turns out to be kidnapped. The kidnappers want seven million dollars, which the couple does not have. Understandably so: coughing up seven million is not something you do lightly. To help, campaign manager Sam (Steven Yeun) and Dayle (Gillian Anderson) come into the picture. The somewhat shady Dayle seems to be able to solve the problem for a hefty fee. While they try to scrape together the money, all the secrets of Mark and Abigail's marriage come to light. And although a kidnapping, financial problems, and a relationship crisis should provide enough material for a nerve-wracking evening, it Animals just barely fails to grab your attention.

Everyone is in a panic, but where is the tension?

A kidnapping thriller needs very little on paper to hold your attention. There is someone in danger, time is running out, and every wrong decision can have disastrous consequences. Yet, that feeling of threat seems to be far from present according to the reviews. The characters shout at each other while terrifying music should instill a sense of fear in you, but that doesn't really happen. The tension doesn't come across as real panic. It's a bit like someone yelling that you should be scared now, without anything actually happening that would make you jump out of your seat.

Where normally a fast pace ensures that you sit on the edge of your seat, here it sends mixed signals. When people full of Botox keep saying that “it has to be over now and forever,” but no tears roll down their cheeks, the tension and emotion are nowhere to be found.

All that marital drama doesn't make you empathize

While they are unsure if their son will survive this fiasco, the film tries to dwell on the marital problems of Mark and Abigail. This is quite understandable, as a crisis should become more interesting when you know what is going on between the two main characters. However, this only works if you know the characters well. As a viewer, you hardly get the time to get to know the characters and feel connected to them before all the fuss begins. We see the arguments and accusations without really understanding what led to this. How were they together in the past? Why did they fall in love? How long have they had problems? Because you don't know the answers to all these questions, it feels like you're watching a marriage therapy session of a random married couple.

Because you don't feel connected to the characters, this storyline seems to only distract from what really matters: does their son survive or not? And who is that ambiguous Dayle anyway? Too much is happening. And even a star-studded cast with actors like Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, Gillian Anderson, and Ben Affleck can't change that.

The film wants to say a lot, but actually says nothing

Look. The idea behind Animals is not bad at all. It’s about profound characters who make all sorts of crazy leaps out of self-interest. The film wants to explore what happens to someone's moral conviction once they act selfishly. What happens to your principles when money, your family, or your future is at stake? Those are certainly interesting philosophical questions that can make a thriller uncomfortable (in a good way). But with Animals you don't see that compelling voice reflected. You see selfish people grasping around in fear, but you don't see a real struggle with their moral compass.

So no, people: just because a film is in the top ten doesn't mean it's actually good. Think of this more as disaster tourism. I'm not saying you Animals should avoid it like the plague, but taking real time for it? That's not necessary. Trust me.