Ben Affleck Directs Animals Thriller for Netflix Release

Ben Affleck directs and stars in Animals, a Netflix suspense thriller about a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose campaign is threatened by a kidnapping plot involving his family and political ambitions, according to Decider.

The film follows Mark Kimball, an independent candidate funding his own mayoral campaign while trailing the incumbent by a few points in polls. According to Decider, Kimball is pressured by campaign manager Sam, played by Steven Yeun, to mortgage the multimillion-dollar home he shares with his psychotherapist wife Abigail and their son Denny.

Decider reported that Kimball is unaware of Abigail's affair, while Abigail does not know about the mortgage decision. The story escalates during Halloween when a caller claims Denny has been kidnapped and demands a $7 million ransom.

According to Decider, the production of Animals changed direction after Affleck originally planned for Matt Damon to lead the film and Jennifer Garner to co-star. Damon left the project to film The Odyssey, and Affleck later cast himself as the lead while Kerry Washington replaced Garner.

The film centers on a wider political conflict after Mark's campaign considers how the kidnapping crisis could affect his public image. Decider reported that campaign adviser Sam brings in Dayle Burton, played by Gillian Anderson, to help manage the situation without involving police.

Anderson's character is described by Decider as a shadowy fixer who offers financial help and guidance during the crisis. The film also features Adriana Paz as Cecilia and Luis Gerardo Mendez as Ramon, characters connected to the family's household and the kidnapping storyline.

Decider wrote that Animals attempts to combine a political thriller with a crime-driven suspense story, focusing on moral conflicts and modern political themes. The review noted that the film's plot becomes increasingly complicated as it explores its central conflicts.

According to Decider, Affleck previously directed films including Argo and The Town, but the outlet said Animals is his least satisfying directorial effort because of issues involving the screenplay, pacing, and ending.