Dangerous Animals (2025) is an effective piece of genre filmmaking that doesn’t overreach and knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s scary, sharply made, and full of small, clever choices that elevate it above its straightforward premise. It’s the kind of late-night horror flick that benefits from a pitch-black room and a strong stomach, and one that knows how to get under your skin without overstaying its welcome.
‘Dangerous Animals’ Movie Review
Dangerous Animals strikes a razor-sharp balance between nerve-shredding abduction thriller and visceral creature feature, resulting in one of the more effective horror-survival hybrids in recent memory. Directed by Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones), the film keeps its 93-minute runtime tight and purposeful, delivering a barrage of suspense, tension, and gruesome visual payoff that rarely lets up.
The story centers on Zephyr, played with grit and urgency by Hassie Harrison, who is kidnapped by the deeply unhinged Tucker (Jai Courtney, in a genuinely terrifying turn). Tucker isn’t your standard horror villain—he’s both a sadistic predator and an obsessive voyeur who forces his victims into horrifying situations aboard his boat, including watching (and filming) them get devoured by sharks in open water. That concept alone could easily veer into gimmick territory, but Byrne commits to it fully, making the ocean itself feel as threatening as the killer onboard.
The opening sequence sets a high bar, with a cold open that is both emotionally jarring and viscerally disturbing. From there, Dangerous Animals rarely loses momentum. It’s structured smartly, building around Zephyr’s attempts to outsmart Tucker using her intelligence and adaptability rather than brute force. This isn’t just another “final girl” slasher trope—Zephyr feels like a character with real agency and survival instincts that make her arc compelling from start to finish.
Byrne also avoids the trap of putting all his tension into one or two set pieces. Instead, the film unfolds with multiple tightly constructed sequences, many of which rely on close quarters and practical tension. Zephyr’s cat-and-mouse game with Tucker is intercut with a subplot involving Moses (Josh Heuston), a guy she briefly connected with the night before her disappearance. His search for her—rooted in genuine concern and escalating desperation—adds another layer of propulsion to the narrative, and eventually, he too finds himself in Tucker’s path of destruction.
There’s a lot to admire in how lean yet effective the film is. Where many thrillers stretch a short story idea into bloated feature length, Dangerous Animals keeps things moving and wastes little time. The B-plot complements the main narrative, and even supporting characters like Ella Newton’s ill-fated companion get enough dimension to make their fate sting.
Visually, the film doesn’t hold back. It delivers gore when it counts and leans into the primal fear of being completely powerless in open water. The ocean setting is used smartly—not just as a backdrop, but as an active threat, amplifying the sense of isolation and helplessness. And while IFC Films and Shudder may be known for lower-budget horror releases, this one rises above much of what’s been on Shudder recently, standing out for its polish, pacing, and storytelling.
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Dangerous Animals is an effective piece of genre filmmaking that doesn’t overreach and knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s scary, sharply made, and full of small, clever choices that elevate it above its straightforward premise. It’s the kind of late-night horror flick that benefits from a pitch-black room and a strong stomach, and one that knows how to get under your skin without overstaying its welcome.
Score: 7/10
Dangerous Animals (2025)
- Cast: Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Heuston
- Director: Sean Byrne
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Runtime: 93 minutes
- Rated: R
- Release Date: June 6, 2025
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