‘Dangerous Animals’ is Bloody Good Fun

At a Glance: Come for the sharks, stay for an absolutely bonkers performance from Jai Courtney in this pulp horror feeding frenzy that’s not afraid to have fun with its absurd premise – and get bloody while doing it.

There’s no such thing as a bad movie premise, only bad execution. If you hear that there’s a movie coming out about a bunch of snakes on a plane, or about a serial killer who feeds tourists to sharks, you might assume (often correctly) that the movie probably isn’t worth your time. In this instance, you’d be wrong. Dead wrong.

In an era of elevated horror and endless sequels, an original film about a psycho killer feeding people to sharks is a breath of fresh air. It’s the kind of dumb fun that you will have you laughing in the theater throughout, but also told skillfully enough to not feel like some cheap dollar-store B-movie.

A big reason for that is Jai Courtney, who turns up his performance to 11 and radiates sadistic joy throughout the film. I could have watched him dancing and drinking red wine in his underwear for two hours straight and left the theater fully satisfied.

He’s paired with a hell of a final girl in Zephyr (Hassie Harrison), an American loner in Australia whose interested only in surfing and eating bread rolls. Harrison does a well enough job of keeping up with Courtney’s iconic performance, but her tough-as-nails characterization alone is enough to keep you rooting for her throughout.

The film has its dark moments, for sure, but it’s a little light on the shark-based mayhem for those who might come in expecting the murder-fish to be the main stars of the show. It’s Courtney’s movie first and foremost, with the sharks playing second fiddle.

Luckily, the film never tries to take itself too seriously. It even leans into corny romance tropes from time to time, intentionally eliciting groans and laughter from its audience. With tongue firmly in cheek, the film plays with expectations and tries at every turn to give the viewers something to enjoy. There’s not a lot of wasted space in this film, and the pacing keeps you moving through to the finale without breaking interest.

All in all, the film is a fun trip Down Under and a great excuse to witness Courtney’s sometimes untapped talents. Also, it has to be said that you couldn’t pick a more appropriate name for a horror movie set in Australia than Dangerous Animals.