Review: Affleck's Netflix thriller "Animals" judged dull

"Animals", a new crime thriller from American actor and director Ben Affleck, becomes available on Netflix on 9 October. The Guardian's film critic takes a sceptical view of it, arguing that the film lacks both bite and tension.

The plot

Affleck plays Mark Kimball, an independent candidate running for mayor of Los Angeles. His backstory includes work as a teacher and a lawyer, as well as service in the first Gulf war. He has used his family's wealth to fund his campaign, and his relationship with his wife Abby (Kerry Washington) is strained.

On Halloween, Mark receives a call from kidnappers who have taken his preteen son Denny (Christopher Woodley). They demand $7m, money Mark does not have. The couple disagree over whether to follow the advice of Mark's aide Sam (Steven Yeun) and hire a mysterious fixer, played by Gillian Anderson.

The critic's objections

The reviewer notes that much of the action unfolds inside the couple's home, in settings that feel like a stage production. The screenplay is credited to Affleck, Billy Ray and Connor O McIntyre, but in the critic's view it gives the arguments little substance: some secrets are revealed, then prove irrelevant. Anderson is singled out as the only cast member who has settled on a lighter, pulpy tone.

The critic also points out that a mid-film plot turn closely resembles Spike Lee's "Highest 2 Lowest", itself a remake of Akira Kurosawa's "High and Low". Cinematographer Robert Elswit, who also shot "The Town" and "There Will Be Blood", delivers a slick look that lacks texture. Affleck's own performance is still described as fun to watch.