THE ANIMAL KINGDOM -- Familiar Story Uplifted by Craft, Cast

Review by Daniel Lima

The Animal Kingdom finds itself in the curious predicament of being both a strange, off-kilter film compared to most mainstream cinema and operating within a well-defined and old strain of speculative fiction. Though it does not go much further in interrogating the themes it brings up than any of those older works, it remains compelling on the strength of its craft.​

Set in a world where people have begun mutating into animals, the film follows a father and son who have moved to the south of France to be near the boy's mother as she is being treated. However, when she breaks out and escapes into the local wilderness with other patients, the two rush to find her before the authorities do. All the while, the son finds himself having a more difficult time adjusting to his new environment than he ever would have thought he would.

There's no avoiding that the premise of people changing into animal-human hybrids and society attempting to grapple with these changes calls to mind countless other similar works: The Island of Dr. Moreau, Black Hole, X-Men, and Wolf. These disparate stories use the concept to explore themes of mental health, coming-of-age, man's alienation from nature, and the propensity for people to shun and victimize anything they don't understand.

To its detriment, The Animal Kingdom elects to incorporate every possible allegory that the conceit allows. To a certain extent, they all work, as evidenced by the fact they've all been employed in the past. The film doesn't choose to focus on any particular dimension afforded by the premise; however, none of these ideas are explored as deeply as they would need to be to stand out as an original take on the material.

The film wisely decides to ground these lofty ideas in the relationship between father and son. Paul Kircher, as the son, shows incredible vulnerability in his performance, ably dancing between the ennui and joy endemic to all teenagers. Romain Duris plays the father with barely contained emotion like a man trying desperately to keep things together even as it's clear he's at the end of his rope. Together with a solid supporting cast, they provide the emotional core that a movie like this requires.

That this is such a formally accomplished work goes a long way; there is much beauty in the cinematography, particularly when characters explore the serene wilderness that has become home to the transformed humans. There is an admirable level of control over the film's pace, meeting the fairly predictable story at just the right pace to create tension. This comes to a head in the handful of more energetic set pieces, so harrowing and well-captured that it's easy to wish the film was an action-thriller rather than a drama.

Finally, it must be said that the effects work is incredible. The animal-human hybrids are brought to life via both practical and computer-generated effects, ranging from subtle features like a pronounced spine and patches of fur to full-blown fantastic beasts. To my untrained eye, it seems CG work is being layered on top of practical makeup and costuming, with even the completely digital renders being made to resemble a practical effect. All these creatures are a marvel to see, and knowing that this was done on such a meager budget by the standards of American productions puts Hollywood to shame.

Ultimately, The Animal Kingdom is a respectable fantasy drama despite its familiar themes. There is a clear vision on display that elevates the film above a script that would otherwise be pat. I'll admit I was totally unaware of director Thomas Cailley, but this announces him to me as someone to keep an eye on. ​

The Animal Kingdom arrives in theaters and on VOD March 15.

Rating: 3.5/5​