{
  "id": 12984629,
  "title": "Animals Review",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/animals-review",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-08T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IGN",
    "slug": "ign",
    "url": "https://www.ign.com/articles/animals-review-netflix"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Animals, a new thriller directed by Ben Affleck, is set to be released in select theaters and on Netflix on October 9. The film follows Mark Kimball (Affleck), a wealthy independent candidate running for mayor of Los Angeles. Mark, a middle-aged white Army veteran, is running without outside funding and speaks Spanish. His wife, Abigail (Kerry Washington), and their son, Denny (Christopher Woodley), are unaware of the extent of his financial struggles, as he has spent their savings on his campaign. The plot thickens when a mysterious caller kidnaps Denny, demanding a $7 million ransom, which Mark and Abigail are unable to provide. Seeking help, they enlist the services of a fixer, Dayle Burton (Gillian Anderson). As the story unfolds, the film explores the moral dilemmas faced by its characters and questions their perceptions of human nature and ethics. Animals showcases Affleck and Washington's strong performances, as they portray a flawed marriage on the brink of collapse due to the harrowing events. Set in Los Angeles, the film uses the city's socioeconomic disparities as a backdrop to comment on the broader issues of wealth inequality and immigration in the United States. Overall, Animals delivers a bleak and cynical portrayal of human nature and the sacrifices made for political success.",
  "summary": "The new Netflix thriller Animals is tautly directed by Ben Affleck, who keeps the emphasis on the characters’ flawed humanity. None of the choices available to the protagonists are good ones, and the many “what would you do in this scenario?” questions the film poses keep the story compelling when the kidnapping plot itself ventures into formula.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}