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Film: Dangerous Animals
Year: 2025
Director: Sean Byrne
Writer: Nick Lepard
Starring: Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney and Josh Heuston
Review:
This is a film that I missed in the theater; I believe due to the birth of my second child. Things were hectic at home so I wasn’t able to catch it. It was one that I knew I wanted to see before doing my end of year list. Knowing that it was coming to Shudder helped. This was seen in December while doing my end of year round up.
Synopsis: a savvy and free-spirited surfer is abducted by a shark-obsessed serial killer. Held captive on his boat, she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the shark below.
We have a solid opening sequence. Heather (Ella Newton) and Greg (Liam Greinke) are tourists. They overslept and didn’t go to SeaWorld with people they’re hanging out with. They decided to go off together to swim with sharks. They arrive at the docks and await Bruce Tucker (Jai Courtney). He’s a bit odd, but still normal enough. He takes this couple out to sea. What should be an exhilarating experience turns into a nightmare.
This then shifts over to our other two leads. Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) is waiting in line to buy a bag of dinner rolls and a Slurpee. In front of her is Moses Markley (Josh Heuston) who needs jumper cables. The store doesn’t have any so he leaves. We also see that Zephyr has a bad side, she stole a pint of ice cream in her drink. Moses threatens her, asking for help and she agrees. He tries his hardest to get to know her, to which she resists. It does work well enough that they hook up.
It is fleeting as Zephyr doesn’t like to get close and leaves while he makes her breakfast. She has a plan to go surfing. There was a moment during her encounter that her fin key for her surfboard was tossed out the window. She inquires at a nearby truck, belonging to Tucker. He has one and lets her have it. This turns into a nightmare when Zephyr is taken.
Moses hasn’t given up though. We did see that Zephyr is interested, but her past makes her guarded. Moses comes looking for her, but she’s not by her van. When it gets towed, his worry grows. He tries to report her missing, but her lifestyle and the limited information he knows doesn’t help. He has to get creative and Zephyr won’t go down without a fight. Like the synopsis says, Tucker has a ritual and likes to keep trophies of his victims.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I’ll start is that I was glad to see that this was directed by Sean Byrne. I’ve liked his previous work and I’m a fan. This doesn’t seem to be something that was a passion project, at least from the limited information I have. It does seem to be more of a director for hire. Regardless, I’ll start by saying that I enjoyed this.
Now that I’ve set that up, let’s start by looking at our lead character. Zephyr is initially closed off, which allows for subtle, character-building reveals, such as her interactions with Moses, her considering to open up, and details about her past. These elements logically explain her fighting nature and friction with Tucker. Though Harrison's performance as Zephyr is sometimes wooden, it is generally effective.
Let’s then shift over to our villain, Tucker. Courtney brings great size to the role which makes it terrifying. He’s quirky as well, which makes him almost loveable and scary when he snaps. There is an interesting back story that we get with him where as a boy he was attacked by a great white. He survived but it changed him. His charm makes it easy to lure people in. I also like that this incorporates the serial killer aspect where he keeps trophies. Courtney has a solid performance that brings Tucker to life.
I then want to go over the title of the film. Dangerous animals are a double entendre. It is alluding first to sharks themselves. I do like that Tucker is an apologist for them, pointing out that they tend to attack people out of confusion. We don’t necessarily taste great, hence why they normally move on. The other meaning is that Tucker and Zephyr are dangerous animals in different ways. He’s a maniacal serial killer. Her drive to survive makes her a formidable opponent. I did appreciate the incorporation of that.
Other themes that I noticed would be toxic masculinity. It is interesting that Tucker corrects Greg in the opening when he speaks for Heather. The irony is what Tucker is doing to people that he takes though. This coupled with Moses, who is a genuinely nice guy who is trying to make a connection with Zephyr, despite her resistance. Back over to Tucker, what he does to his victims is dehumanizing. He makes a comment about preferring horror films which makes sense for his ritual. The last would be isolation and vulnerability. These go together for Tucker with the taking of victims.
I’ll then take this over to the acting performances. I’ve already said that I didn’t love Harrison’s portrayal as Zephyr. She does fit the role well enough. She’s also attractive so there is that. Courtney is great as our villain though. He is allowed to show more personality so that helps. Heuston works as this guy who is trying to break through Zephyr’s shell. I like how he factors into things playing out. Rob Carlton, Newton, Greinke and the rest of the cast do round this out for what was needed as well.
All that is left then would be the filmmaking. I do think that the cinematography and framing were good. I do love capturing how beautiful, yet terrifying, Australia is. The shots underwater are good. I like the claustrophobic feel of the boat. Both its location and just how difficult it is to get off. The effects we get are good. They’re tamer than I’d expect for a Bryne film. The blood looked good though. Other than that, I thought the soundtrack fit what was needed with building the atmosphere. We get a great scene with Tucker cutting loose that adds levity.
In conclusion, this is a compelling thriller that delivers on its premise, anchored by a terrifying performance from Courtney as the shark-obsessed serial killer, Tucker. While Harrison's portrayal of Zephyr sometimes falls flat, her character's determination provides a strong foil to the villain. Director Byrne effectively uses the Australian setting to create both beauty and dread, incorporating solid filmmaking and thematic depth, especially concerning the double entendre of the film's title and the exploration of toxic masculinity. Despite some minor flaws in the lead performance, the film is an enjoyable, tense watch that successfully blends survival horror with the serial killer subgenre, making it a worthy addition to your late-year viewing list.
My Rating: 7 out of 10