Ben Affleck became a punchline after flops like 2003's "Gigli."
So he went behind the camera, resurrecting his career with "The Town," "Gone Baby Gone" and "Argo," the latter snagging a Best Picture Oscar.
Hollywood loves a redemption story, and Affleck was back by his own making. He couldn't hold onto that directorial momentum after the disappointing "Live By Night" (2016). So he went the streaming route, helming the solid Nike saga "Air" (2023) and, now, Netflix's "Animals."
He's gonna need another momentum boost, apparently.
The political thriller finds Affleck playing a Los Angeles mayoral candidate in a pickle. He's down in the polls but close enough to smell victory. He's rich, so he risks some of his own money to fill his campaign coffers, unaware of the threat lurking around the corner.
Someone is targeting his family, and on Halloween they snatch Affleck's teen son and demand a $7 million ransom — stat.
It's a nightmare on many levels, including the political implications. Good thing he calls in a "Ray Donovan"-like fixer — played by Gillian Anderson, who not only has that money in cash for him to borrow but knows how to handle such delicate matters. Or does she?
"Animals" is solid on paper, and it's the kind of streaming "content" that won't chase you away after the first 20 minutes. The cast also includes TV veteran Kerry Washington and Steven Yeun as Affleck's cagey campaign manager.
There's a big twist mid-movie that makes the sticky plot even more complex, too. It all feels like a bingeable Netflix series, the kind that doesn't demand much of the viewers and never offers anything that feels like it belongs in a theater.
It's ... fine. Solid. Watchable. "Animals" is slightly better than most recent Netflix originals, which is faint praise on steroids. Many Netflix films feature big stars and forgettable stories. But, if you're home eager for something you haven't seen before, it's often enough.
Barely enough.
"Animals" isn't partisan, nor is it interested in some of the nuances of modern day Los Angeles. Yes, Affleck's camera gives all those depressing tent cities a devastating closeup, but otherwise his character sticks to boilerplate political speeches that could be applied to any campaign in any city.
Imagine a rich white man running against a minority incumbent, which is what we see here. Oh, the identity politics he'd have to overcome to win the race.
The film mentions it in passing, nothing more.
Another complication? Washington's dutiful wife character is having an affair. That revelation will come into play at the worst possible time, naturally.
Sometimes, a politically charged kidnapping during a mayoral race isn't enough for some dramas. And if the main story feels familiar, you may have seen Spike Lee's disappointing "Highest 2 Lowest," itself inspired by Akira Kurosawa's "High and Low" (1963).
"Animals" wraps on a deeply cynical note, the kind that isn't earned and makes you think there's been a re-write or two too many.
Affleck's latest is good enough to get him another directorial gig. Maybe on Hulu, Prime Video or back to Netflix.
