‘Animals’ Release Date: Ben Affleck’s Kidnapping Thriller Now Streaming

Ben Affleck returns to the director’s chair with ‘Animals‘, a Netflix kidnapping thriller that debuts today on the platform and in select theaters. This marks his first directorial effort since ‘Air’ in 2023, and he not only stars in the film but also shares a writing credit with Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray. Produced by Matt Damon and Affleck’s Artists Equity banner, expectations for this project were understandably high.

In ‘Animals’, Affleck portrays Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate who is struggling in the polls and has secretly invested his family’s savings into his campaign. His wife Abigail, played by Kerry Washington, is already feeling the strain when their son Denny is kidnapped on Halloween night. The kidnappers demand seven million dollars, a sum Mark cannot admit he has lost.

The initial part of ‘Animals’ is where the film shines, as it captures the intense pressure of a parent scrambling for funds while concealing the truth. However, the film struggles as it attempts to juggle multiple genres—marriage drama, kidnapping thriller, political commentary, and a discourse on race and class. This lack of commitment to a single tone causes the tension to dissipate.

Steven Yeun’s campaign manager Sam presents a potential solution in the form of a fixer, played by Gillian Anderson, who can quickly raise the cash but at a steep price and without police involvement. Anderson emerges as the most captivating presence on screen, delivering a cold and theatrical performance that fits the narrative. Yeun provides a steady voice, making the scenes surrounding the money feel more perilous than anything else in the film.

Affleck imbues Mark with a bruised and humiliated quality that is intriguing at first. However, he and Washington often find themselves in screaming matches that veer into melodrama, detracting from the urgency of their child’s peril. Washington is asked to maintain a high level of hysteria repeatedly, while Adriana Paz and Luis Gerardo Méndez, who play the household staff, are given minimal opportunities to shine.

Visually, the film disappoints as well. Unlike ‘Gone Baby Gone’ and ‘The Town’, which were grounded in specific locations and characters, this portrayal of Los Angeles feels overly polished and somewhat generic. The political elements lack the necessary bite, some plot choices stretch credibility, and the tidy ending allows most characters to escape the consequences that the narrative had built up.

Nonetheless, I found myself engaged throughout, which counts for something. The pacing is brisk, the cast is impressive, and the premise is strong enough to leave me wishing for a bolder script. While it’s an entertaining watch, it ultimately falls short of being the sharp, gripping thriller its premise suggests, earning a score of 5.5 out of 10.

Did Affleck’s kidnapping thriller keep you engaged, or did it lose you in the latter half? Share your thoughts on ‘Animals’ in the comments.