Ben Affleck and Gillian Anderson’s new crime thriller has started streaming today. However, the movie has struggled to impress critics following its release.
Animals began streaming on Netflix on October 9. The movie has also arrived in select theaters. Affleck directed and penned the screenplay alongside Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray. In addition to Affleck and Anderson, the movie also stars Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Adriana Paz, and Ray Fisher.
What makes Ben Affleck’s new thriller different from a typical kidnapping story
Animals stars Affleck as Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose political career is threatened after his son gets kidnapped. With most of his finances spent on his political campaign, Kimball and his wife struggle to collect the ransom money. In the process, the couple has no choice but to dirty their hands, at the risk of exposing a side of their lives that could ruin his political chances forever.
The film blends crime thriller with themes of morality in contradiction to political choices. “I would love that to come out of this movie, and for people to have very strong opinions about all three of our characters,” Affleck told Collider ahead of Animals’ release. “That is what I think makes movies stay with people and land and be provocative — not just be provocative for its own sake, but really to ground it, make it real, but also respect the audience.”
Animals’ premiere received mixed reviews, and it currently holds a dismal 41% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some were disappointed with Affleck’s directorial efforts, while others dragged the story for being unremarkable.
Animals marks Affleck’s sixth feature film as a director. The filmmaker has previously helmed acclaimed movies like The Town, Argo, The Last Duel, and more.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
