Dangerous Animals

• Directed by Sean Byrne
• May 17, 2025 (Cannes) / June 6, 2025 (US) / June 12, 2025 (Australia)

A woman is kidnapped by a shark-obsessed serial killer and must escape before he feeds her to the creatures.

I took in Dangerous Animals with some concern mostly around the presence of Jai Courtney who stars as the deranged Tucker. I cannot say I have ever been too impressed by him. He clearly has made plenty of smart moves to keep working but that is different from solid performances. Yet because of all the general praise I kept encountering I felt it was worth it to watch a movie hinging on his performance.

I must apologize for doubting his ability. Courtney is a genuinely frightening killer. There is a mix of charming and menace in his performance. He’s friendly but can turn it just enough to make it frightening. Knowing he is the threat makes those moments where he alludes to what he does uncomfortable because we know but they do not.

You might notice he has a camera and weirdly a collection of VHS tapes. I thought that was a completely gone technology. It’s creepier than a guy playing on a computer storing files which would be something more modern. Movies are going to need to come up with a replacement for that type of reveal. Film reels were once the norm but gave way to video cassettes but how many viewers really knew what they were looking at?

When full on crazy Courtney-as-Tucker gets a wild look where he does not need to show much to be scary. His presence alone unsettles the viewer because you are left believing he could fly off the handle at any moment.

This movie sets the tone in an opening scene and keeps it throughout. In a bit of a bate and switch you think that the initial pair we meet are going to be central characters. That first kill came out of nowhere!

Largely the killer Tucker is dealing with the free spirited yet closed off Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) who is a wandering surfer having made her way to the Gold Coast of Australia surviving to a degree on theft while catching waves. Harrison was surprisingly good comedically on Tacoma FD and is no dramatic slouch here as well. Not an award winner but her dramatic chops are sufficient that she plays a strong character without feeling like she’s trying too hard. 

Zephyr is no damsel in distress but a fighter and one that’s not outsized in capabilities in comparison to her physique. Her survival is built on thinking and surprise. Determination and her level of intelligence derive from previously stated experience. There’s no way that would make this movie work if she was able to beat Tucker in a physical fight. It would bring into question his success with other victims.

Does she do it completely alone? No. Her help comes from a real estate agent named Moses (Josh Heuston) who falls for her despite her push for a lack of connection. He is not the galivanting hero but the character that is the chaos element allowing this final girl a chance to live. The boyfriend is not utterly useless either. He does what he can based on what we know of the character, but Zephyr is much more suited to fight over a guy who has mom’s car.

He is also part of the emotional core and a way to expand upon the character of Zephyr. She has a little bit of baggage but nothing that makes you dysfunctional. The emotion makes those in Dangerous Animals more identifiable and causes us to care about what happens to them.

At barely 90 minutes it manages to pack in something to just about every minute of the movie. What’s more impressive is that it hooks you with a small cast of characters. There are three central characters and three more supporting characters max.

The script does an excellent job of teasing you with success or escape and then pulling that chance away to the point there is real doubt. You would be satisfied if the characters didn’t make it because it would fit with the movie. Mercifully, they survive but they fight tooth and nail and make it through by the skin of their teeth.

Given the title, Dangerous Animals draw parallels between the predatory nature of sharks and the predatory nature of Tucker. There’s a moment in the cell when Zephyr finds a list of names of people who’ve been there before. It’s probably more frightening than the scene where the people get eaten. 

The budget is small (look at the cast), but it never feels cheap or like it cuts corners. It keeps action grounded thus avoiding extravagant effects or costly stunts which creates believability. That in turn makes it exciting because it could be you the viewer.

Dangerous Animals is an excellent movie. It’s thrilling and exciting and manages a lot with a very with a small cast and small setting. Courtney is a standout as is Hassie Harrison. Both genuinely shine here.