Is Ben Affleck's new thriller 'Animals' worth your time?

'Animals,' the sixth feature directed by Ben Affleck, arrived on Netflix on October 9, 2026. The 106-minute kidnapping thriller focuses on a political candidate whose son is abducted, creating a high-stakes scenario that unfolds largely within the confines of a single night. The first half of the film, which takes place almost entirely inside the family home, has been widely cited by critics as its most compelling portion.

Abigail (Kerry Washington) and Mark Kimball (Ben Affleck) facing each other in a dimly lit hallway.
Abigail (Kerry Washington) and Mark Kimball (Ben Affleck). Much of the film's first half occurs within this home.

How does the plot of 'Animals' begin?

The film opens with a political campaign commercial in which Mark Kimball promises transparency. Once the opening credits conclude, his campaign manager informs him that they are falling behind the incumbent by four points, despite Mark having already leveraged his home and savings to fund the campaign. Around the twenty-minute mark, a private, blocked-number call arrives informing Mark that his son has been kidnapped for a seven-million-dollar ransom.

Mark Kimball speaking at a campaign podium.
Mark Kimball addressing voters. The campaign remains a constant backdrop throughout the film.

This pivotal phone call sequence lasts nearly four minutes and is presented in a continuous, single-take style. The camera follows the couple through their home, capturing their transition from shock to suspicion. This sequence is followed by the arrival of Dayle Burton, a crisis manager played by Gillian Anderson, whose clinical approach to the ransom negotiation becomes a focal point of the film's first half.

What is the global critical consensus on 'Animals'?

As of October 11, 2026, 'Animals' holds a low critical rating across major review aggregators. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 37% approval rating from 51 reviews, with an average score of 5.2/10. Metacritic reports a score of 33/100, based on 19 critical reviews. Audience feedback on platforms like IMDb and Letterboxd mirrors this, with scores hovering in the 2.4 to 5.7 range.

Critics have been largely divided, particularly concerning the performance of Gillian Anderson and the film's tone. Some reviewers, such as those at Variety, praise Affleck's screen presence and the film's ability to shift gears, while others, like Vulture's Bilge Ebiri, described the climax as unintentionally humorous. Comparisons to Akira Kurosawa's 1963 film 'High and Low' appear frequently, though Affleck noted in a Bloomberg interview that he did not see the Kurosawa classic, having pivoted his project after learning of Spike Lee’s 2025 version, 'Highest 2 Lowest.'

Gillian Anderson as Dayle Burton facing Ben Affleck.
Dayle Burton (Gillian Anderson) and Mark Kimball. Anderson's portrayal is among the most debated aspects of the film.

Is the film worth watching?

If you are looking for a tight, single-sitting thriller, the first hour of 'Animals' is highly effective. The tension established within the household, specifically during the negotiation scenes, is widely considered the film's strongest asset. However, viewers should be prepared for a shift in pace once the story moves beyond the home, which many reviewers found to be less coherent and tonally inconsistent. Those who admire the high-stakes moral dilemmas found in Affleck's earlier work, like 'Gone Baby Gone,' may find this outing less satisfying. It is best suited for viewers interested in the performances of Kerry Washington and Gillian Anderson, or those who have not seen the similar narrative structures of 'High and Low' or 'Highest 2 Lowest.'

Notes and Sources

  1. FlixPatrol, Netflix Top 10, October 2026.
  2. Netflix, 'Animals' (2026) title page.
  3. JustWatch, 'Animals' (2026).
  4. Sinemalar.com, 'Animals' review database.
  5. Netflix Tudum, John DiLillo, October 9, 2026.
  6. Jake Coyle, AP, October 8, 2026.
  7. Tom's Guide, October 2026.
  8. Alexandre Janowiak, Ecran Large, October 9, 2026.
  9. Nick Schager, The Daily Beast, October 8, 2026.
  10. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, October 8, 2026.
  11. Rotten Tomatoes, Animals (2026), October 11, 2026.
  12. Metacritic, Animals (2026), October 11, 2026.
  13. IMDb, Animals (2026), October 11, 2026.
  14. Letterboxd, Animals (2026), October 11, 2026.
  15. AlloCiné, Animals (2026), October 11, 2026.
  16. Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com, October 9, 2026.
  17. Guy Lodge, Variety, October 8, 2026.
  18. François Lévesque, Le Devoir, October 2026.
  19. Digital Fernsehen, October 2026.
  20. Kinofans, October 2026.
  21. Bloomberg Screentime, Ben Affleck interview, October 2026.
  22. Decider, October 9, 2026.
  23. Tony Maglio, The Hollywood Reporter; Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, September/October 2026.
  24. Slashfilm, October 2026.