The Ben Affleck film Animals has recently premiered on Netflix as well as in some movie theaters on October 9, 2026. With high expectations attached to the film, it seems that this movie has not met them. Affleck directs, writes, produces and acts in the role of Mark Kimball, a candidate running for mayor who finds his perfectly planned life destroyed due to his son’s kidnapping in exchange for a multimillion dollar ransom. Kerry Washington takes part as Abigail, his wife, along with Gillian Anderson who acts as the ruthless fixer Dayle Burton.
High Noon is evidently based on the movie “High and Low” by Akira Kurosawa and revolves around a kidnapping that makes the rich protagonists confront the dark truth of their financial mistakes and ambitions and exposes their secrets. Mark has been secretly using the family fortune in the desperate efforts to make his election victory a reality by targeting the Latino community. However, with the kidnapping taking place and the couple having to struggle to cope with the situation, find ways to hire help and disclose their secret about Abby’s extramarital affairs.
Most reviews have come down harshly on the film’s execution. The movie holds at a lowly 32% on Rotten Tomatoes with scores averaging around 5.4/10. According to Metacritic’s weighted average score of 33, there is no denying that the movie receives “generally unfavorable” notices. Many of these critics love certain things about the film while criticizing everything. Critic’s notice Gillian Anderson’s performance of Dayle very highly for her ability to give short yet impactful dialogue concerning leverage and the nature of man’s tales with the utmost confidence. Affleck and Washington bring real tension to screen as the distressed couple in trouble. The early kidnapping scene proves to be very suspenseful.
However, these criticisms reign supreme. It is said that this film just does not seem able to figure out what it wants to be: whether it would like to be a tight movie thriller about a kidnap or something else that delves into the “big themes” of American politics, social class, and morals. However, there is an important twist in the middle that changes everything, and from then on, the discussions about ambition, immigrant workers, and campaigning tend to sound weak. It seems that while the movie does have many themes to discuss, they do so in a way that seems overcomplicated and confusing. The script, penned by Affleck alongside Connor O. McIntyre and Billy Ray, seems over-packed yet at the same time lacks something clear and engaging.
Audience reactions have been equally tepid, remaining in the high 4s on the big review sites. Yet the movie has gotten an audience through the magic of the Netflix algorithms and the lingering fascination with Affleck’s return from Air as a director. It may be enjoyable to some just because of the star power and the plot. To others, it’s a disappointment.
Animal Kingdom is not a disaster. It is a competently crafted, occasionally riveting thriller posing intriguing questions about what lengths one will go to under pressure of power, family, and ego. Competence, however, does not equate to distinction. Being torn between pulp fiction and a more meaningful social commentary, the film ends up being neither. This results in a film that comes across as a politician who makes a concerted effort but somehow does not close the deal. It seems that power cannot shield from mediocrity as the film itself suggests. Affleck will have to craft a better message for his next campaign.
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