Review: ‘Dangerous Animals’ brings a killer fight to the screen
‘Dangerous Animals’ features a contest for the greatest threat: hungry sharks or a maniacal serial killer.
It’s said man is the most dangerous animal on Earth. Maybe that’s why people are fascinated with other predatory creatures. As much as viewers enjoy nature documentaries that capture life’s beautiful moments, they are equally spellbound by scenes of animal-on-animal violence. Whether it’s watching a lioness take down a zebra or a crocodile snap its jaws shut around a gazelle, the circle of life is cruel but captivating. But what happens when humans want to get in on the fun. In Dangerous Animals, a man decides its integral he intervene in support of the local ocean’s wildlife.
Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) is an American surfer hiding from her problems in Australia. She has a chance meeting with Moses (Josh Heuston), which turns into a night of passion with the potential for more. But shortly after their encounter, Zephyr is kidnapped by a local fisherman named Bruce (Jai Courtney) who thinks he’s contributing to the ecosystem by feeding tourists to sharks. The gruesome video recordings of the horrific feedings are just a bonus for doing his duty. But Zephyr is not about to be turned into shark bait without putting up a fight, which only spurs Bruce on further. Luckily, she made a lasting impression on Moses and he’s spearheading a search for her — even if he doesn’t know her last name.
Women held captive by deranged men is a horror (and Lifetime) movie standard, occasionally even inspired by appalling true events. Their reasons can vary, but it ultimately doesn’t matter since it almost always boils down to exerting power over someone else. Bruce claims to have a deeper purpose, but it’s clear he enjoys watching his victims’ terror and pain. The story draws on a visceral fear of large bodies of water and the slightly less rational dread of shark attacks created by Jaws. To keep things interesting, the human chum attracts different species of lethal fish that circle in anticipation of their meals, giving everyone a good look at the toothy predators. But at the end of the day, Bruce is the picture’s greatest threat.
Watching someone feed a bunch of unsuspecting tourists to sharks would eventually grow tired, so the monotony is interrupted by Zephyr’s fiery spirit. Bruce may have gotten the jump on her, but she has fierce survival instincts and is constantly looking for ways to outsmart him and escape. Spending most of her time handcuffed in the hull of a boat that’s on open water is just another challenge she has to overcome. Normally, watching someone try and fail over and over again would become tedious, but Zephyr’s innovative tactics keeps audiences engaged and rooting for her every attempt at freedom.
Zephyr’s personality isn’t a far stretch from Harrison’s feisty Yellowstone barrel racer character. Though this narrative gives her more opportunities to display intense emotions as she rotates between determination, anger and impulse. Meanwhile, Courtney is completely off the rails. He maintains a crazy gleam in his eye, even when he’s feigning calmness. His enthusiasm is nearly infectious in spite of its motivation, making him strangely thrilling. The pair make great adversaries, which in turn makes for an exciting picture.
Director: Sean Byrne
Starring: Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney and Josh Heuston
