A Twisted Game of Man vs. Shark You Won’t Want to Miss

Jaws is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and what better way to pay homage to Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece than with another shark movie? The timing may be a coincidence, but IFC and Shudder’s latest team-up is set to spook moviegoers right out of their seats. From director Sean Byrne, Dangerous Animals premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, and will soon be unleashed on the rest of the world. But brace yourself: there’s a plethora of hard R-rated violence, heart-wrenching moments of torture and immersive moments with ravenous sharks. Ultimately, Australian performer Jai Courtney, whom DCU fans might know best as Captain Boomerang, steals the show. But Dangerous Animals also succeeds by elevating the “torture porn” subgenre with first-rate performances, a unique setting, a fleshed-out script and impressive technical feats.

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Fly Away, Zephyr

Leading man Courtney’s screen presence is at once arresting and ominous. Here, he plays Bruce Tucker, a seemingly charming shipowner whose public-facing business model is providing colorful tours at sea. An innocuous opening sequence sees two pals wander over to his cruiser for a taste of the Australian shoreline, but by the end of the cold open, Bruce has revealed his true colors. They say that in space, no one can hear you scream, and it’s the same effect when you’re miles from shore.

Then the plot shifts focus to our protagonist, the aptly named Zephyr (Yellowstone star Hassie Harrison). A rebellious American trying to start anew across the world, a chance occurrence leads her to meet local realtor/hunk Moses (Josh Heuston), leading to a night of frisky fun at his pad. But Zephyr is a loner, and seemingly damaged goods. So she decides to bail on breakfast the morning after, afraid to have too much of a good thing. But her insistence on independence leads to dire consequences — as it turns out, her favorite surfing beach is also where Bruce docks his killer boat. Before Zephyr can even dip her toes in the water for an early-morning swim, she is knocked out cold and awakens next to another captive woman.

We instantly recognize Heather (Ella Newton) from the shocking intro sequence; now, the two young women are handcuffed to rickety mattresses on the lower deck of Bruce’s boat. Luckily, the street-smart Zephyr had made enough digital contact with Moses to tip him off that something was wrong once she stopped responding to his texts. But it’s easier said than done tracking Zephyr down at sea, and the clock starts ticking once Bruce decides to put his victims through a truly torturous ordeal captured on his old-school video camera.

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Killer Music and Camerawork

The predator-prey dynamic aboard Bruce’s creaky vessel may feel too familiar, but the dynamic between Courtney and Harrison overshadows these recycled story tropes. It helps that Byrne knows his way around the frame, capturing his embattled characters with smooth, eerie tracking shots that push in on tense situations to heighten the drama. This first-rate camerawork pairs well with a killer musical score that takes risks with its jarring crescendos. There’s plenty of juicy dialogue to make viewers laugh and wince, and the gory violence holds nothing back.

The ludicrous entrapment devices Bruce builds in order to dangle his innocent victims over the sea are enough to leave viewers sleeping with one eye open. And with the villain capturing everything on tape, even allowing us to peek into the viewfinder, the film effectively adds an exciting meta layer as well. Courtney offers a master class in villainous performance here, juggling his increasingly rebellious victims while fending off suspicious locals on the mainland. It’s maniacal fun, but luckily Courtney isn’t all that IFC and Shudder’s new scary movie has to offer.

IFC Films and Shudder are releasing Dangerous Animals exclusively in theaters on Friday, June 6, 2025.