Ben Affleck’s Los Angeles kidnapping thriller fails to build tension
Ben Affleck's new Los Angeles-based crime thriller Animals, which he directs and stars in, follows a mayoral candidate whose young son is kidnapped on Halloween. The film reunites Affleck with the crime-thriller genre that has defined much of his directorial work, but surprisingly fails to deliver the tension or substance promised by its high-profile cast and compelling premise.
Affleck plays Mark Kimball, a wealthy independent candidate for mayor whose preteen son is taken by kidnappers demanding $7m he doesn't have. The cast includes Kerry Washington as his wife Abby, Steven Yeun as his campaign aide Sam, and Gillian Anderson as a mysterious fixer, but most of the action unfolds in the tedious confines of the Kimballs' mansion rather than exploring the city itself. The screenplay, co-written by Affleck, Billy Ray and Connor O McIntyre, dwells on circular arguments between characters whilst lacking meaningful substance or momentum, with only Anderson's commitment to pulpy fun lifting an otherwise sluggish narrative.
- Ben Affleck's crime thriller feels listless and underwhelming despite strong cast
- Much of the film occurs in the protagonist's mansion, limiting scope and tension
- Gillian Anderson's commitment to pulpy fun is the film's brightest element
New here? Start with this
Ben Affleck has written, directed and starred in Animals, a new crime thriller set in Los Angeles. The story follows an independent mayoral candidate whose young son is kidnapped on Halloween, with the criminals demanding a seven-million-pound ransom the candidate cannot pay.
The supporting cast includes Kerry Washington as the candidate's wife, Steven Yeun as his campaign aide, and Gillian Anderson as a mysterious fixer. Affleck shares screenplay credit with crime-thriller writers Billy Ray and Connor O McIntyre.
Crime thrillers have featured throughout Affleck's work as a director, and Animals continues this pattern as a film he wrote, directed and stars in. The production reunites the actor with this genre whilst bringing together an established ensemble cast for a story about a family caught in a kidnapping crisis.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A character-focused psychological thriller set in confined spaces can be a legitimate artistic choice, generating tension through dialogue and interpersonal dynamics rather than plot momentum or external action. Directors have successfully created dread through intimate family psychology; judging such work by conventional thriller pacing standards may misunderstand the filmmaker's artistic intentions and unfairly dismiss slower, more introspective approaches to suspense.
The case against
Regardless of artistic intent, a thriller has a fundamental responsibility to create tension through whatever means available; if dialogue feels circular, the narrative sluggish, and character development minimal, these constitute genuine failures in execution rather than mere stylistic choices. That only one actor's performance succeeds in lifting the material suggests systemic problems with writing and direction rather than critics misunderstanding an unconventional vision.
Americas Art Cricket Culture Sport World
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “Animals review – Ben Affleck’s dull Netflix thriller is lacking in bark and bite”.