Dangerous Animals Review
A horror that will really take a bite out of you.
Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) is a savvy and free-spirited surfer. But she’s abducted by Bruce Tucker (Jai Courtney), who not only runs a shark diving boat, but also happens to be a shark-obsessed serial killer! As Zephyr is held captive on his boat, awaiting her demise when Bruce feeds her to the sharks, she must figure out a way to escape.
Dangerous Animals is a wonderful blend of creature feature and serial killer horror, that maintains its unique Australian-ness even while being a broadly accessible piece.
The film hooks you from the start with incredible visuals that it keeps up throughout. This is a film that is gorgeously shot, the Australian coast-line on full display, but also showcasing some wonderful underwater cinematography that really stands out.
The cast is strong across the board, but the real standout is Jai Courtney. He is an absolute, manic blast, right from his first scene. He brought a real authenticity to his lunacy; completely cool and convinced that everything he believes is 100% normal. There’s an undercurrent to his performance that feels completely unpredictable of all times, and it brings a constant desire to stay rooted in your seat; you don’t know what could happen.
Sean Byrne does well with the film, although it perhaps runs a little long. There are also some eye-rolling moments of horror cliches; decisions from Zephyr and others that have you throwing your hands up in frustration. But this is no schlocky b-movie horror; Byrne elevates this movie into something that speaks to a deeper truth, that feels heightened but real, and combines a unique serial killer method with a worthwhile battle for survival from our lead heroine. It’s brutal, scary and sharky - and will have you hooked from the start.
