Ben Affleck returns to the director’s chair for his sixth feature, Animals, a Netflix original that lands on October 9th. After establishing himself with gritty Boston‑set tales like Gone Baby Gone and The Town, Affleck swaps the salt‑scarred streets of New England for the sun‑drenched boulevards of Los Angeles. The shift in setting is more than cosmetic; it signals a tonal pivot toward a sleek, image‑obsessed world where polished exteriors mask simmering corruption. The film promises a hostage‑driven narrative that probes the dark underbelly of ambition, loyalty, and the secrets people keep to protect their façades.
Synopsis
Mark Kimball (Ben Affleck) is a Los Angeles mayoral candidate banking on the Latino vote, yet he trails his opponent by four points. His campaign manager, Sam Allison (Steven Yeun), convinces him to deliver a high‑stakes speech in the heart of that community to close the gap. At home, Mark’s wife Abigail (Kerry Washington) feels neglected as his political pursuits eclipse family life, while their live‑in nanny Cecilia (Adriana Paz) presses Abigail to help her undocumented husband Ramon (Luis Gerardo Méndez) find work—a dilemma that could sink the Kimball campaign.
When their young son Denny is kidnapped, the abductors demand a seven‑million‑dollar ransom, far beyond the family’s means. Sam offers a lifeline through a shadowy fixer (Gillian Anderson), but the price may be higher than money. As the tension mounts, alliances shift, and the characters’ carefully curated images begin to crack, revealing the pride, greed, lust, envy, and gluttony that drive them.
Performances
Ben Affleck delivers a searing portrayal of Mark Kimball, a man whose polished candidacy hides a volatile core of rage, inadequacy, and humiliation. His turn feels like a natural evolution from the intensity he showed in Gone Girl, offering a layered study of a politician teetering on the edge.
Kerry Washington brings depth to Abigail, balancing the stereotype of the long‑suffering spouse with flashes of masked vulnerability and inner strength that keep her compelling throughout. Steven Yeun’s Sam Allison is the pragmatic fixer whose calm demeanor belies a willingness to cross moral lines, providing a steady counterpoint to Affleck’s combustive energy.
Gillian Anderson’s shadowy operative is deliberately stylized—bordering on cartoonish—but her menace is undeniable, adding a theatrical flavor to the film’s darker moments. Adriana Paz and Luis Gerardo Méndez offer solid support, grounding the story’s sociopolitical stakes in personal desperation.
Behind the Lens
Affleck co‑wrote the script with Connor O. McIntyre (Itch) and Billy Ray (The Hunger Games, Captain Phillips), crafting a screenplay that oscillates between tension‑building and sudden release. A notable twist at the end of the first act upends typical hostage‑thriller expectations, steering the narrative into morally ambiguous terrain.
The film’s visual language reinforces its themes: glossy, high‑contrast cinematography captures the allure of Los Angeles’ elite, while claustrophobic interior shots—mostly set within homes and campaign offices—amplify the sense of entrapment. The decision to keep much of the action in closed rooms forces the dialogue to carry the film’s edge; lines are delivered bluntly, without the usual cinematic polish, making every exchange feel like a verbal blade.
Editing maintains a relentless pace, tightening the screws just as the audience begins to breathe, then loosening only to snap them shut again. The score underscores the rising paranoia without overpowering the performances, allowing the actors’ raw exchanges to dominate the soundscape.
Final Verdict
Animals succeeds as a tightly wound political crime thriller that refuses to rely solely on cheap jumps or superficial twists. Its strength lies in the gradual unraveling of characters who appear immaculate on the surface but are rotten underneath. Affleck’s direction, coupled with a committed cast, delivers a film that is both intellectually stimulating and viscerally engaging.
The only notable drawback is the finale, which feels overly tidy given the moral mess the story has built. The resolution lets key players off the hook a bit too easily, dampening the impact of the earlier exploration of consequence. Still, for viewers who appreciate a thriller that probes the psyche of power‑players while delivering genuine suspense, Animals is a worthy addition to Netflix’s growing catalog of original dramas.
Also Read:
Netflix Unveils Gripping First Trailer of Ben Affleck’s Thriller “Animals”
