Kidnap thriller Animals earns 8/10 in my review of the film
This Animals movie review looks at a film in which a kidnapped child, a mayoral race and a collapsing marriage collide, and almost nobody tells the truth. Imagine your son gets kidnapped just days before you’re supposed to win an election, your marriage is falling apart, and the whole world is watching. What could possibly go wrong? Everything, apparently. 😂
Why I pressed play on Animals
I started watching Animals because Kerry Washington was in it. You know her as Olivia Pope from Scandal, so naturally, I was curious. But a few minutes into the movie, Abigail, her character, was already kissing another man. Ma’am, we have barely started! 😂
Her husband, Mark Kimball (Ben Affleck), is running for mayor of Los Angeles, and his campaign is already struggling. Then, just when he has enough problems to deal with, their son is kidnapped.
The ransom, the wrong child and the chaos
The ransom is enormous, and Mark’s campaign team is scrambling for a solution. Enter Dayle, a woman brought in to handle the situation. At this point, I was wondering whether Mark would pay the ransom, how he would raise the money, and whether attending his political event was really the best decision when his child was missing.
Then came the revelation that made me question everything: the kidnappers had taken the wrong child!
Wait. So, was this a mistake, or was somebody deliberately targeting the family? Because by now, I was suspicious of everybody.
And Ramon? What exactly was he doing hanging on to a moving car? My brother, are you trying to save a child or get yourself killed? 😭
The ransom delivery was even more chaotic than I expected. Between the political pressure, the money, the kidnappers, and the people supposedly helping Mark, I honestly didn’t know who to trust. And just when Mark was about to give his speech, another call came in to complicate matters.
But somehow, Ramon ended up saving the day.
Who gets the credit: the hero or the politician?
And this is where the story really got me thinking. The version of events presented to the public made Mark look like the hero, while Ramon’s contribution was pushed into the background. Mark’s political image benefited, and even the truth about what happened seemed less important than the story people were willing to believe.
So, who really won here? The man who saved the child or the politician who got the credit?
And what happened to Abigail’s phone? With all the secrets flying around, I was waiting for that detail to mean something more.
Dayle’s death also felt awfully convenient. She knew too much, had her own plans, and suddenly she was gone. Who sent the kidnappers in the first place? Was someone connected to Mark’s family involved, or were we meant to accept that some questions would remain unanswered?
My Animals' movie review verdict and rating
Animals kept me watching because I wanted answers. It mixes family drama, political ambition, infidelity, kidnapping and the uncomfortable question of whose life society values most. That is the heart of this Animals' movie review: a thriller that is more interested in who gets the credit than in who did the crime.
Here is how it stacks up:
- What worked: the ending made me question who actually deserved the credit.
- What did not: some unanswered questions left me wanting more, and not every twist felt completely satisfying?
- My rating: 6/10.
It was an engaging watch, but I expected a little more clarity and a stronger payoff from some mysteries.
Now tell me: Did Mark deserve to win that election, and who do you think was really behind the kidnapping?
