Ben Affleck flips the script on kidnap dramas by delivering a twisty crime thriller infused with social commentary and political themes. What starts as a run-of-the-mill rescue plot takes a wild turn a third of the way through, exposing its deeply flawed, morally gray protagonist. Rather than justifying or condemning the main character’s motives, Animals invites viewers to pass their own judgment. Audiences have now weighed in, reaching a sobering consensus on the film’s merits.

​