‘Dangerous Animals’ Review: Jai Courtney Competes With an Ocean Apex Predator to Chew Scenery as Shark Meets Serial Killer

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Starting from the 1970s, Ozploitation films have a long history, with “Dangerous Animals” being one of its early representatives. This film seems to bear a striking resemblance to the 2005 release, “Wolf Creek”, albeit with a change in setting – this time the chaos unfolds on open waters. Both these grisly Australian B-movies center around a ruthless serial killer who targets travelers, and they both deliver copious amounts of violence, gore, and what could be described as ‘torture porn’. These films should provide an enjoyable horror for fans of the genre. However, director Sean Byrne doesn’t push the boundaries of trashy enjoyment quite as much as some more outrageous recent shark movies do. (Think “The Shallows”, “Under Paris”, or “The Meg”). Instead, he serves up a generous portion of salacious content and puts a strong female protagonist in danger.

Given the strong interest in sharks within Australian beach communities and the significant presence of Great Whites patrolling the oceans along the Western and Southern coasts, one might expect a more impactful output of shark-themed movies. However, this has not been the case, with only a few exceptions. One such exception is the gritty 2010 film, The Reef, and 2012’s Bait 3D which gained praise for its outlandish premise – sharks in a flooded supermarket! The follow-up to this film, Deep Water, is set to be released later this year, directed by Renny Harlin, who has experience with shark-infested waters from his work on Deep Blue Sea.

In the interim, we have the arrival of “Dangerous Animals,” an unexpected selection for its premiere in Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight prior to its release on June 6 via IFC and Shudder. This film doesn’t quite reach the heights nor sink to the depths of the vast sub-genre spawned by Steven Spielberg’s seminal work, “Jaws.” However, Byrne’s visually appealing production certainly stands out as one of the more malicious entries in recent memory.

This happens because the violence surrounding the boat is mirrored on deck, where victims are hauled up by a winch and subsequently lowered, bleeding, into shark-filled waters while Tucker (Jai Courtney) records the brutal feeding for his collection of snuff films. To make it even more unsettling, he stores a strand of each victim’s hair in the packaging of every tape.

In the span of twenty years, Courtney has transformed from a vibrant young man to a muscular heavyweight, resembling Oliver Reed. He eagerly embraces the mold of the beefy character actor, infusing his large, powerful character with bold charisma, cunning danger, and fierce brutality that foreshadows the origins of his uncontrolled madness. However, Nick Lepard’s script doesn’t delve deep into the psychological aspects of the character.

Based in the bustling tourist hotspot of Surfers Paradise on Queensland’s Gold Coast, Tucker navigates an old, weathered fishing boat for his “Swimming with Sharks” tours. These exhilarating cage dives are often targeted towards young travelers. It’s puzzling why these tourists don’t reconsider their plans when he inquires, “By any chance, is it unknown that you’re here?” The mystery remains unsolved.

Tucker takes on board Canadian guest Liam Greinke and his British hostel companion Ella Newton, pushing off from land as he crack jokes about them being shark bait. To ease the awkwardness, Tucker sings a spooky shark song, then delivers the promised thrill by lowering them into a swirling group of sharks inside a cage. Overwhelmed but excited at first, their excitement doesn’t last as Tucker suddenly attacks Liam, while Heather screams in fear.

Simultaneously, in town, Moses (Josh Heuston), a youthful real estate agent with a physique reminiscent of an underwear model, encounters car troubles. Having caught American surfer Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) stealing from a convenience store, he playfully threatens to expose her if she helps him jump-start his vehicle. Before long, jumper cables aren’t just for the car, and passionate sex transitions into tender post-interlude conversation (she references Point Break during their talk), hinting at a budding romance. However, when the discussion becomes too personal, Zephyr flees in her rundown van, which also serves as her home.

Worried about losing her before dawn for surfing, Marco tries to predict where she’ll go. However, he arrives too late as Tucker has already taken her away, stuffed in a surfboard case unconscious. (By the way, a clever use of that multipurpose surfboard.) She regains consciousness on a boat, shackled to a bed opposite Heather, in a barren cell that only contains a bucket. The graffiti etched into the corroded walls is a troubling omen. When Moses spots Zephyr’s van being towed, he realizes something’s amiss. Since the police are slow in investigating, he decides to dig up information himself.

The lyrics of Crowded House’s “Mean to Me” subtly suggest that the character Zephyr is not meant to be a passive victim. This is hinted by the lines, “She traveled all the way from America / She had a predestined rendezvous.

Harrison from the show “Yellowstone” is quite valuable in this role. It’s somewhat confusing at first because she resembles Jennifer Lawrence so much that they could be sisters in a movie. However, this similarity doesn’t diminish the strong survival skills, determination, and adaptability portrayed by her character. These traits are reminiscent of someone who grew up in foster care and yearned to break free as soon as possible. Riding for Zephyr symbolizes the ultimate freedom.

As soon as she showed signs of defiance, Tucker admires a strong-willed individual: “It makes for an entertaining spectacle.” She doesn’t shy away from challenging his empty grandstanding about the pecking order among creatures, the need to preserve balance in nature, and his supposed divine mission to serve a deity beneath us. She recognizes his kind and her straightforward assessment of what turned him into such a beast seems to touch a raw nerve or two.

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When she initially pushed back against him, Tucker appreciates someone with spirit: “It makes for an exciting performance.” She doesn’t hesitate to question the hollow bluster he uses about animal rankings, the preservation of natural order, and his claimed divine duty to serve a deity below us. She knows his ilk and her straightforward critique of what made him so cruel seems to strike a sensitive spot.

Tucker raises Zephyr onto the deck and ties her to a chair so she can watch an appalling scene unfold. “You’ll have your moment tomorrow evening,” he says to her. Courtney is most effective when acting out psychopathic roles, rather than during Tucker’s philosophical rambles – that’s more of a script issue. However, it’s in those wild moments that he growls and snarls as he drives around town, hunting for his next victim, that Tucker is truly terrifying.

In a way that’s hard to top, there’s this unforgettable moment when he celebrates after a kill, dancing wildly in the main cabin of the boat, swigging liquor and spinning around the room in just his underwear and a robe. The tune playing is Stevie Wright’s iconic 1974 Australian hit, “Evie.” It’s almost like a rugged Australian take on Jame Gumb’s dance from Silence of the Lambs, with Tucker’s muscular physique and hairy torso showcasing his raw, untamed Aussie masculinity.

The film occasionally drags due to Zephyr’s repeated escape attempts feeling repetitive. Each advance is met with a setback, such as Moses secretly boarding the vessel. However, both Harrison and Heuston create characters that audience members can support, maintaining tension throughout the climactic and violent conclusion.

Byrne gained recognition as a master of horror films through his original, unconventional works like “The Loved Ones” and its American remake, “The Devil’s Candy.” In this film, he leans excessively on jump scares, but shows cleverness by combining authentic shark footage with live-action scenes. This choice eliminates the need for mechanical creatures and reduces the use of computer-generated imagery.

Byrne became famous for his horror movies “The Loved Ones” and “The Devil’s Candy.” In this movie, he uses a lot of jump scares, but he also mixes real shark footage with live action, which means no mechanical creatures and less computer graphics.

For those who are sensitive to distressing scenes of physical and psychological torment, the book titled “Dangerous Animals” might be quite off-putting. However, individuals who enjoy gory or violent content may find it engaging and even satisfying.

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2025-05-17 23:25