PLOT: When Zephyr, a rebellious surfer, is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer and held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks below.
REVIEW: I’ve never so quickly been on board for a film as when the trailer for Dangerous Animals first dropped. There’s just something about a shark film that always excites, despite the fact that we’ve pretty much just gotten the one good one. And with so many following the same formula, it’s nice to see one that detours from the expected. Because having a madman (Courtney) who baits sharks with kidnapped girls has all the makings for an awesome shark film.
Dangerous Animals follows Zephyr (Hassie Harrison), a transient who lives out of her van and surfs. Unfortunately for her, her nomadic nature makes her the perfect victim for Tucker, a local tour guide who makes a habit of kidnapping people and filming the act of feeding them to sharks. Zephyr needs to try and find a way out before she becomes chum. There’s a pretty lame love subplot with Josh Heuston‘s Moses and Zephyr. I get it, they needed someone who’s out there searching for her, so it’s not entirely hopeless, but it leads to many corny, stereotypical plot beats. This is the film’s main problem. All of the drama feels so melodramatic and hammy that it’s hard to take any of it seriously. It clashes so much with all the tension going on board the boat. A little bit of subtlety would have gone a long way. Instead, we’re given monologues that don’t work and some really convoluted moments meant to extend the narrative.
Like any good shark movie, the film really stews in the tension of the first big shark appearance. But there’s never that “oh my god” shocking moment with the sharks. Instead, the film makes it clear: Jai Courtney‘s Tucker is the villain, not these sharks. They are simply doing what sharks do: eat when there are signs of food in the water. There’s a moment where we get to find out just how long he’s been operating, and it only adds to the imminent danger as he’s clearly been getting away with this for quite some time. The opening ten minutes are where the film really excels, as the tension can be cut with a knife. But it loses steam whenever Tucker is offscreen.
What works so well with Tucker is that his character is essentially a comment on society’s lust for shark violence. We have Shark Week every year devoted to these creatures, and it’s often the tales of when they attack humans. It doesn’t happen naturally enough in the world, so Tucker has to make it happen himself to satiate his own obsession. Jaws really did a number on the public’s perception of these majestic creatures, and this seems to try and break from the usual mold. And Courtney is absolutely phenomenal, really inhabiting the character and making him one of the most intriguing villains I can recall.
Dangerous Animals utilizes real footage of sharks to create some really beautiful visuals. Usually, it’s the Great White or Tiger Shark that gets all the attention, but there are some gorgeous Mako’s that get the first real showcase of the film. And it’s a big ocean, so I’m glad that it’s not the same shark throughout. Different species interact, with a massive Great White being the main event. Makes things a bit more dynamic, as they aren’t treated like the villains. Though as much as the film is trying to make a point about how sharks don’t intentionally feed on people, it’s almost immediately upended with a Hollywood-style bombastic ending that seems to miss that point.
I really enjoyed the shark puppets that are used, as they look realistic and work well. The CGI on the sharks (outside of one moment) is also handled really well. But that one bad moment stands out so much that it’s hard not to be a stain on the film. The gore is a little disappointing in the shark attacks themselves, although the aftermath is quite brutal. There’s one shot in particular of someone’s upper body floating in the water that is truly haunting. And there’s a reason for the attacks being how they are because, outside of the very hammy final kill, they’re presenting these sharks in a realistic light. They aren’t these sentient beings that are prone to jump scares like every shark movie in existence makes them out to be. These sharks move at steady speeds and have normal behavior. It was a breath of fresh air.
It may just be me, but I was very distracted by how still the camera/boat were during some of the ocean-set scenes. I understand that these were likely done on a stage for convenience, but there’s not even a little bit of sway to the boat. They are perfectly still, and it constantly breaks my immersion in the world. Maybe being pulled out of the world with moments like this is why the drama really didn’t work for me. You’re telling me you couldn’t just have a cameraman sway a little bit to give the effect of being on the water? Instead, it feels overly staged.
I really wanted to love Dangerous Animals, but I just ended up liking it. Which is totally fine. There are some good moments, with Jai Courtney being an absolute standout. But it feels like the concept isn’t fully taken advantage of. I didn’t need the random romance subplot, and it really took away from the tension on board. I get its purpose, but it feels a bit sloppy in execution. Thankfully, Courtney is so maniacal, and the tension on the boat is like a tightrope, that it still makes for a fun time. You just need to shut your brain off more than expected.
DANGEROUS ANIMALS IS IN THEATERS ON JUNE 6TH, 2025.
