{
  "id": 13118687,
  "title": "‘Animals’ Review: Ben Affleck’s Netflix Thriller Has Zero Highs, Many Lows",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/animals-review-ben-afflecks-netflix-thriller-has-zero-highs-many-lows",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T13:05:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TheWrap",
    "slug": "thewrap",
    "url": "https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/reviews/animals-review-ben-affleck-kerry-washington-gillian-anderson-netflix/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ben Affleck and Netflix have unleashed a new thriller called \"Animals,\" which is essentially a rehashed version of the classic Akira Kurosawa film \"High and Low.\" The movie, starring Ben Affleck in three different roles, follows Mark Kimball, a mayoral candidate in Los Angeles who is dealing with a kidnapping crisis. The plot involves Kimball's son being abducted by a criminal who demands $7 million for his safe return. The movie is filled with red herrings, suspects, and a series of moral dilemmas that lead to the tragic downfall of the Kimball family. Despite the potential for a thrilling story, \"Animals\" fails to deliver any high points and instead offers a series of low points. The film is essentially a copycat of a classic, lacking the creativity and originality needed to stand on its own. While some actors manage to leave a lasting impression, such as Luis Gerardo Méndez, the overall film feels listless and redundant. With its lack of engagement and care, \"Animals\" can only be described as cinematic table scraps, no matter how much AI was involved in its production. The movie is now streaming exclusively on Netflix.",
  "summary": "Kerry Washington and Gillian Anderson co-star in a suspenseless kidnapping yarn that’s so derivative, it’s kind of embarrassing The post ‘Animals’ Review: Ben Affleck’s Netflix Thriller Has Zero Highs, Many Lows appeared first on TheWrap .",
  "key_points": [
    "\"Animals\" is a Netflix thriller, a rehashed version of Akira Kurosawa's \"High and Low\".",
    "Ben Affleck stars in three roles, navigating a kidnapping crisis in Los Angeles."
  ],
  "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."
}