An adventure between a father and his son in a world where some humans have started mutating into other animal species.
European cinema has been challenging its audiences for ages, pushing the envelope and daring to go places that American cinema, quite frankly, refuses to follow. While they may not be as budget or effects-heavy as the mainstream cinema that exists on this side of the world, storytelling has always been key, quite often with an experimental touch more common outside of the U.S. Lately; we’ve been witnessing a shift in that, as these films which have traditionally been ahead of us in storytelling are now catching up in technique.
“The Animal Kingdom” opens innocuously enough; a father and a son sit side by side in a vehicle, father François (Romain Duris) and teenage son Émile (Paul Kircher) arguing over the junk food the latter is feeding himself and his dog. They banter about Émile’s lack of passion for accompanying his father until the mildest fight breaks out, and Émile exits the vehicle onto a crowded street. When François follows him, we’re introduced to our first bit of horror as an ambulance shakes, its windows shatter, and from within bursts a winged figure, half bird and half man. And this takes us into our concept for “The Animal Kingdom.”
In a time not so unlike the modern day, a strange phenomenon has swept through the world, mutating human beings into animals of all kinds. The cause is never revealed, and the treatment is lacking results. The Creatures, as they are called (or Critters, if you prefer the derogatory term), are kept in a facility until a transport bus veers off the road and crashes into a river, setting over 40 of them loose. Among them is François’ wife and Émile’s mother, Lana (Florence Deretz), herself a Creature, launching François into a desperate search.
“The Animal Kingdom” is an ambitious piece, one which almost seamlessly blends multiple genres for something that shouldn’t quite work and probably wouldn’t in less capable hands, but writer/director Thomas Cailley proves he is a force to be reckoned with as he unfolds a cinematic marvel, boasting stunning visuals and captivating performances. On the surface, the film is a coming-of-age tale similar to those you’ve seen before, but it also manages to be a father/son drama, an ecological metaphor, and, dare I say, a horror film in parts. While the latter doesn’t overwhelm, there are a handful of scenes as we witness another character’s beginning stages of mutation that present a level of body horror so effective that it would make David Cronenberg proud. Stanley Kubrick once said, “Everything has already been done. Every story has been told. Every scene has been shot. It’s our job to do it one better.” Never has that been more clear than it is here. While this story has been told many times, it has never been done with such style and vision and never in such a unique way.
At its core, “The Animal Kingdom” is a story about the importance of family, both the family we’re given and the one we choose. The film’s best scenes are the ones that really take the time to delve into what that means, with one scene as simple as a father and a son driving sure to be one of the most profound and heartwarming of the year. It is, in fact, because of this that the one flaw I found within the film is the build-up to one character whose story never truly culminates in any meaningful way, and had it ventured a little further, then I feel like the story would have been elevated even more.
As is, this is still a powerful film that promises a profound journey for those who are willing to take the ride. While I don’t see it resonating with casual moviegoers, those who dare to venture off the beaten path will likely fall in love with this ambitious, surreal, and remarkably beautiful film.
In Theaters and on VOD Friday, March 15th
