Latest news with #DangerousAnimals
UPI
a day ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Jai Courtney wanted 'Dangerous Animals' killer to be fun
1 of 7 | Jai Courtney, seen at the 2021 premiere of "The Suicide Squad" in Los Angeles, stars in "Dangerous Animals." File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo LOS ANGELES, June 3 (UPI) -- Jai Courtney says he had two goals with his character in Dangerous Animals -- to be terrifying while also retaining a sense of fun. The actor plays Tucker, a boat captain who kidnaps tourists and feeds them to sharks as he films their deaths. In a recent Zoom interview with UPI, Courtney, 39, said Tucker is as entertaining as he is scary. "I wanted to create something that people could have a lot of fun with as well as hopefully be terrified by," Courtney said. "He's a very colorful character but there's a lot of elements to him that aren't about his dedication to killing." Courtney said he focused on Tucker's talkative nature, which is one way he lures victims onto his boat. "He feels like that guy you've run into in the pub that won't shut up," Courtney said. "He's the cab driver that knows too much about politics and wants to talk your ear off." The audience sees Tucker's unhinged side before his victims do. When alone, Tucker dances in his cabin and barks at the dog living on a neighboring boat. "It was always my intention to go big with him and keep him larger than life," Courtney said. "Milo the dog is kind of the one person who's really not too flash on Tucker himself. He kind of sees through the bull[expletive] and figures there might be a threat in there. When that role's reversed all of a sudden and Tucker gives it back to him, it's kind of cool." For the dancing scene, Courtney danced to Stevie Wright's "Evie (Part One)" twice and improvised after discussion with director Sean Byrne about how the dance should feel. "We didn't really know what was going to happen with the dance," Courtney said. "It just came out of me." Hassie Harrison also stars as Zephyr, an American surfer traveling alone, who proves more formidable than Tucker's usual victims. Harrison played a ranch hand on Yellowstone, but said nothing compared to surfing and dodging sharks. "This is by far and away one of the most physically demanding roles I've taken on," Harrison, 35, said, although she did acknowledge on Yellowstone "you'll be sore the next day when you're on a horse for eight hours." Zephyr stands up to Tucker and insults his inadequacies for preying upon women. Courtney said this confrontation rattles Tucker. "There's a few times where I think Zephyr sees through the mask that Tucker's presenting and cuts to the core of the wound that's within him," Courtney said. "He's a person who's isolated himself into a world where he can believe he's this apex predator, but really within that there's a lot of vulnerability." Harrison did not believe Zephyr had any master plan to provoke her captor. "I think she's just authentically being herself and holding up a mirror to a monster which is a really scary thing to do sometimes," she said. Though set during the prime surfing season in Queensland, Dangerous Animals filmed during Australia's winter. This made it challenging for Harrison to perform in her bathing suit. "It was freezing when we filmed the movie," she said. "I feel like the last 15 minutes of it, you can see my breath the whole time." Before encountering Tucker, Zephyr meets local surfer Moses (Josh Heuston), who comes looking for her after she goes missing. Heuston agreed both the water and the wind on the deck of Tucker's boat were frigid. "We're up against the elements there," he said. To Courtney, a Sydney native, even Australian winter is postcard-worthy, warm and sunny. "Australian winter, particularly in Queensland, is kind of a pretend winter," Courtney said. "I certainly wouldn't be able to sit here and complain."
Toronto Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Killer thriller: Jai Courtney sinks teeth into 'Dangerous Animals'
'Sharks and serial killers ... it's the genre mashup of our dreams' Get the latest from Mark Daniell straight to your inbox Australian actor Jai Courtney attends the Los Angeles premiere of "Dangerous Animals" on May 27, 2025. Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP via Getty Images A serial killer and the hardened survivalist he aims to murder head out into shark-infested waters with not another soul in sight for miles. It sounds like the movie remix of the year. But to actor Jai Courtney, putting together serial killers and sharks in the same movie 'is the genre mashup of our dreams.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account In Dangerous Animals , opening Friday, Courtney, 39, plays Tucker a deranged serial killer who uses sharks to sadistically dispatch his unsuspecting victims. He takes tourists visiting Australia out to sea for an up-close encounter with the deadly animals — with an emphasis on up close. 'It's a lot of fun,' the Aussie actor says with a chuckle via Zoom following the premiere of the horror thriller at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month. 'It mangles those two — sharks and serial killers — together, but at the centre of it, it's a survival thriller.' Courtney's psychotic boatman gets his kicks kidnapping unsuspecting visitors and feeding them to hungry sharks as he films the proceedings for his very own snuff movie collection. When we meet him, it seems that Tucker has been feeding live bait to the hungry predators for quite some time. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Like the sharks he's so fond of, Tucker has become adept at seeking out his prey, targeting backpackers and vagabonds. After one gruesome kill, he celebrates by dancing around the main cabin in his underwear and a robe to Stevie Wright's 1974 classic, Evie (Let Your Hair Hang Down) . Jai Courtney plays a shark-obsessed serial killer in 'Dangerous Animals.' Photo by Elevation Pictures But he meets his match when he abducts a tough loner named Zephyr (played by Yellowstone star Hassie Harrison) who threatens to end his savage streak. At the first sign of resistance, Tucker seems to relish the challenge Zephyr presents. 'Makes for a better show,' he says, sneering. 'This was such a different and unique world,' Courtney says of playing the madman. 'There's a menace to him and a maniacal obsessiveness that's like fodder for an actor to grab hold of and chew on … He's an enthusiast and someone with a deranged philosophy about how he fits into the ecosystem as an apex predator.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Director Sean Byrne, who made his mark as a horror auteur with his debut The Loved Ones , which won the Midnight Madness audience prize at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, ratchets up the tension as Zephyr tries to save herself. 'Yellowstone' star Hassie Harrison in a scene from 'Dangerous Animals.' Photo by Elevation Pictures Playing the foil to Harrison's determined heroine allowed Courtney to add to a roster of villains that includes an antagonist opposite Tom Cruise in 2012's Jack Reacher and the DC antihero Captain Boomerang in Suicide Squad . After landing his breakout role alongside Cruise right out of the gate, Courtney joined a list of Australian actors, including Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe and the late Heath Ledger, who became sought after quickly making their mark on Hollywood. Working with Cruise, he says, offered him an early education on professionalism and career longevity. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Having Tom Cruise as the lead in the first big film I ever did was a true gift,' Courtney says. 'No one is as hard a worker as he is. It's an inspiration to see that kind of ethic and see someone care so much about (their work). To see him still killing it at 60-something … he's still making some of the most exciting films out there. He continues to be an inspiration for me.' Joining forces with Cruise led to work with Bruce Willis in 2013's A Good Day to Die Hard , the fifth and final entry in the long-running action series. He also booked a role as future resistance soldier Kyle Reese in 2015's Terminator: Genisys . A year later, he partnered with fellow Aussie Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad (a part he reprised in a 2021 sequel). This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I had a chance to share the screen with some real icons and that was a real privilege and an honour,' he says looking back on his meteoric rise. 'I've been part of some really cool classic action-franchise stuff.' Other notable roles followed, including a part in The Divergent Series . More recently, after welcoming a daughter with his partner, Saudi actress Dina Shihabi, he has appeared alongside Chris Pratt in Amazon's The Terminal List . Next up, he'll co-star in Netflix's forthcoming sci-fi thriller War Machine with Reacher star Alan Ritchson. But when his agent calls with the offer of another villain, he'll be all ears. 'There's just a lot of colour in there that you get to play with when you play those guys,' Courtney says. 'I'm no stranger to playing a bad guy. I'll probably continue that trend for years to come … hopefully.' Dangerous Animals opens in theatres Friday, June 6. mdaniell@ Read More Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Toronto & GTA Sunshine Girls Canada
Forbes
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Inside The Costume And Visual Storytelling Of ‘Dangerous Animals'
The cast of "Dangerous Animals" at the after party following its premiere at the 78th Cannes Film ... More Festival. Dangerous Animals made a striking world premiere on May 17, 2025, at the Cannes Film Festival, screening in the prestigious Directors' Fortnight section. It marked the first Australian feature to appear in the program since These Final Hours in 2014, and it left an impression: a 10-minute standing ovation culminated in an animal-themed celebration that matched the film's visceral energy that complimented the film's costume, makeup, and hair. Filmed on the Gold Coast, Dangerous Animals stars Hassie Harrison as Zephyr, a bold and free-spirited surfer whose abduction by shark-obsessed serial killer Bruce Tucker (Jai Courtney) ignites a gripping thriller. As Zephyr plots her escape before becoming part of Tucker's ritualistic shark feeding, her love interest Moses (Josh Heuston) is drawn into the chaos. The film, written by Nick Lepard and directed by horror auteur Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones, The Devil's Candy), blends manipulated shark footage with stylized live-action to create a hyperreal sense of danger. But beyond the film's narrative thrills and technical feats, it's the costume and makeup design that quietly command the spotlight, subtly reflecting the characters' unraveling psyches and physical transformations. Veteran costume designer Marion Boyce, whose four-decade career spans both period dramas and edgy contemporary thrillers, was tasked with crafting a visual language that echoed the characters' psychological and physical deterioration. 'The costumes had to survive intense physical demands, but more importantly, they needed to tell a story,' Boyce tells Forbes. Boyce and her team developed a color palette rooted in muted, weathered tones such as smoky blues, washed-out grays, and soft greens that visually mirror the bleak tension of the film's coastal setting. 'We leaned into natural fibers that absorb distress well and carry a sense of realism,' she says. 'Every piece had to look lived-in, worn down by both the elements and emotional decay.' A still featuring the film's leads before turmoil ensues. For Zephyr, whose journey transforms her from carefree to captive, Boyce constructed multiple versions of each costume to track her gradual disintegration including sweat, sand, blood, and salt water which all becoming part of her evolving look. Meanwhile, warmer russet tones were subtly introduced during romantic scenes to evoke fleeting moments of safety and tenderness. Perhaps the most chilling challenge was designing for Bruce Tucker, the killer whose ordinary appearance conceals his monstrous intent. 'We had to create a costume that wouldn't raise any alarms within the world of the film but would still hint at his disturbing nature to the audience,' Boyce reveals. 'The key was in the subtleties: fit, fabric texture, and how he wore it without being overt.' Behind the scenes, the costume and makeup teams worked closely with the director and cinematographer to ensure that styling supported the psychological nuances of each frame. While Dangerous Animals grips audiences with its high-stakes story of survival, it's the invisible details (the smudged eyeliner, the sweat-soaked hair, the glint of mascara) that help deliver its emotional punch. For Zeljka Stanin, head of the film's Makeup and Hair Department, these subtle visual cues are more than aesthetics, but psychological storytelling tools. Tucker (played by Australian actor Jai Courtney) stars as a deranged serial killer who uses sharks ... More as his weapon of choice. In an exclusive interview with Forbes, Stanin breaks down how hair and makeup were used to track the characters' emotional arcs and physical decline across the film's tense runtime. 'Once we break down the script and understand each character's journey, we look for points in the schedule where we can introduce gradual shifts,' she explains. 'Even something as simple as mascara can change the tone of a scene. Adding it can enhance strength or allure, while removing it evokes vulnerability or despair.' These minor shifts in appearance, Stanin notes, are designed to guide the audience's emotional perception. 'The goal is to nudge viewers in a specific direction without pulling focus from the characters themselves," she adds. Plus, given the film's premise, injuries are a major visual element. Accordingly, Stanin is quick to point out that realism must be carefully balanced with viewer experience. 'If we recreated real shark wounds with complete medical accuracy, it would be too graphic. It could distance or even disturb the audience beyond what's narratively useful,' she says. 'Instead, we craft stylized injuries that are hyperreal, but digestible. The effects take hours of prep and planning, especially for scenes where we do choose to go graphic. It's all about timing and impact.' The costume and makeup teams masterfully strike a balance in portraying hyperrealistic shark wounds ... More and graphic details like blood. The work behind the scenes also required flexibility. With a cast of varied hair types, skin tones, and performance needs, Stanin's team had to adapt constantly to balance tight budgets while ensuring continuity and authenticity. 'You have to be resourceful. Sometimes that means using the products you already own in creative ways, or sourcing unique materials from local suppliers when international ones aren't available.' New products and experimental tools always find their way into the process, but Stanin remains grounded in craft. As a big believer in understanding ingredients, she's also open to sourcing local and international products and tools, while keeping an eye on what's already in her makeup product. After all, she notes, how surprising it can be to reuse a product when you look at it with fresh eyes. As Dangerous Animals prepares for its global rollout on June 6th, its critical acclaim isn't just about the thrills or direction, but about how every visual and costume choice, down to a torn hem or the fade of denim, contributes to its storytelling and psychological appeal. 'Dangerous Animals' is set to be released in the United States on June 6, 2025, and in Australia on ... More June 12, 2025.
Metro
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
13 of the best and most blood-curdling shark movies streaming right now
Razor-sharp teeth, pointed fins, and a powerful, muscular body – sharks are predators not to be trifled with. Their unique appearance and dominance of the ocean have led to them becoming the subject of numerous films, often blood-soaked horrors and heart-racing thrillers. The latest to make a splash is Dangerous Animals, directed by The Loved Ones and The Devil's Candy creator Sean Byrne. He puts a spin on the subgenre, introducing genre fans to charismatic villain Tucker (Jai Courtney), a serial killer who uses sharks as his weapon of choice. His latest potential victim is Zephyr (Hassie Harrison), whom Tucker kidnaps and imprisons on his boat – but she won't go down without a fight. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. It currently sits at an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics dubbing the film 'outlandish', 'distinctly unique', and a 'high-stakes thrill ride' ahead of its release on June 6. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video From Bruce the Shark to The Meg, popular culture has embraced the elasmobranch with cinema immortalising their troubled relationship with humans over the decades – and possibly being the root cause of it. Perfect for the summer months as we head to the beach, these shark flicks will have you running from the waters. Where to watch: Netflix After witnessing a horrific shark attack, Duncan Kennedy created Deep Blue Sea, released in 1999. Starring Saffron Burrows, Thomas Jane, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Rapaport, and LL Cool J, it tells the story of Dr Susan McAlester (Burrows) while she harvests the brain tissue of DNA-altered sharks in a bid to cure Alzheimer's disease. When the facility's backers send executive Russell Franklin for a routine check on the experiments, a procedure goes awry and a shark begins attacking its human captors. It's hardly Oscar bait, but it's perfect for B movie lovers who want to see a shark tear through the ocean – and humans – in typical vicious fashion, as are its two straight-to-video sequels. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Where to watch: NOW TV and Sky For many, it is a dream to swim with sharks in their natural habitat and witness the powerful sea creatures up close. But for two sisters, it becomes an absolute nightmare in Johannes Roberts' horror film 47 Meters Down. Kate (Claire Holt) and Lisa (Mandy Moore) travel to Mexico for a vacation, where they decide to go diving in shark-infested waters. Their thrill-seeking trip soon goes awry when their cage breaks away from their boat and plummets to the ocean floor. Upon its release in 2017, the film was a commercial hit, grossing $62.6 million worldwide against a budget of about $5 million, leading to a sequel being released in 2019. Where to watch: Available to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store What if Jaws met Goodfellas? That seems to be the bizarre question posed by the 2004 animated film Shark Tale. Set under the sea, the film tells the story of an underachieving fish Oscar (Will Smith), who has grand aspirations. He is propelled to stardom among his fellow ocean dwellers when he claims to have killed mob-connected great white shark Frankie (Michael Imperioli). He concocts the tale alongside Frankie's peace-loving brother Lenny (Jack Black), but the 'sharkslayer' and his friend soon find themselves in deep water when Frankie's father, mob boss Don Lino (Robert De Niro), sends his henchmen to track down Frankie's killer. The film really has everything – horror, action, crime, romance with Angelina Jolie as a seductive fish – and it was even nominated at the 77th Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature. Where to watch: Netflix One of the most feared sharks in the ocean is the shortfin mako shark, thanks in part to its terrifying teeth and its status as the world's fastest shark. And Egyptian action horror Mako focuses on the deep-sea predator, directed by Mohamed Hisham Al Rashidi. Based on true events, the film sees eight divers trapped beneath the surface of the Red Sea, surrounded by ravenous sharks after visiting a sunken passenger ship to make a documentary. Mako is less about the sharks and more about the personal drama between the divers that threatens their survival, but that's not to say there's not plenty of shark footage that shows why the film comes with a gore warning. Where to watch: Plex Yes, you are looking at that image correctly. That is hundreds of sharks being hurtled through the air via a tornado. And we never would have had such beautiful images burned into our brains if it weren't for the release of Sharknado in 2013. How did a sharknado come to be? When shark fin smuggler Captain Carlos Santiago (Israel Sáez de Miguel) is caught in a hurricane during a deal and his sharks are swept up in the madness, a group of friends are tasked to stop the chaos in Santa Monica. Of course. The film is so bad, it's actually great. So much so, there are six Sharknado films now, with Kate Garraway even making a cameo appearance in number five. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Where to watch: NOW TV Once upon a time, there was a prehistoric creature called a megalodon – essentially a gigantic shark thought to be around 15 to 18 metres in length. If they were alive today, they would surely dominate the ocean. Especially if the events of The Meg are anything to go by. Starring Jason Statham, Ruby Rose, and Li Bingbing, the scientists in the film must stop a crazed megalodon from attacking people on the beach, preferably without getting eaten by it themselves. Grossing over $530 million worldwide, a sequel, Meg 2: The Trench, was released in 2023. Where to watch: Shudder via Prime Video What's more terrifying than being stuck in a capsized boat in the middle of the ocean? Experiencing that while also being hunted by a Great White shark, of course. Released in 2010, The Reef follows a group of friends during a fun-filled break in Indonesia, on which they decide to go sailing. Big mistake, as it turns out, with their boat capsizing and the vicious predators hunting them down as they attempt to swim to a nearby island. It's a blood-pumping thrill ride from start to finish, and becomes increasingly tense as the stakes become higher and higher and the group is hit by problem after problem. Once you're done with The Reef, you can also watch its spiritual sequel, The Reef: Stalked, which has a very similar premise to its predecessor. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Where to watch: Netflix Under Paris caused a storm among viewers when it hit Netflix in 2024, being dubbed 'unbelievably good.' Directed by Frontier(s) and Mayhem! creator Xavier Gens, Under Paris follows grieving scientist Sophia (Bérénice Bejo), who is forced to face her tragic past so she can save Paris from an international bloodbath after a giant shark appears in the Seine. Shortly after it was released, it became one of the most-watched films ever on the streaming giant. And what's more, it was confirmed last year that a sequel is underway, possibly following the events of the first film or maybe a brand new plot with sharks escaping into a different waterway. Where to watch: Netflix Though she may best be known for her rom-com roles, Blake Lively delivers a powerhouse performance as leading lady Nancy in the 2016 shark flick The Shallows. Following the loss of her mother, medical student Nancy travels to a secluded beach for a much-needed break and to catch some waves. While surfing alone, she is attacked by a shark, forcing her to swim to a rock for safety. Lively's captivating performance really makes the film as nail-biting as it is, as Nancy is forced to fight for her life 200 yards from shore. Where to watch: StudioCanal Presents via Prime Video Remember the influx of 3D films in the 00s and 2010s? Yep, we also had a 3D shark film among them. Directed by Kimble Rendall, Bait 3D sees a freak tsunami hit Australia, submerging much of the city of Coolangatta underwater. The film follows supermarket worker Josh (Xavier Samuel) and a group of people in his workplace who become trapped when water floods the store, but that's not all. The oceans of Australia are notoriously home to several types of sharks, and with the tsunami, they've been swept onto land with a whole new hunting group to explore. The effects have aged painfully, but Bait 3D is still a fun cat-and-mouse thriller with buckets of blood. Where to watch: ITVX Open Water is a hair-raising shark thriller, and even more terrifying, it's based on a true story. It was written and directed by husband-wife team Chris Kentis and Laura La, both avid scuba divers, and cost just $130,000 (£95,983) to make. The 2003 film follows couple Daniel Kintner (Daniel Travis) and Susan Watkins (Blanchard Ryan), who take a scuba-diving trip together in a bid to reconnect. They join a group scuba dive, separating from the group while underwater, which proves to be a devastating mistake. The rest of the group returns to the boat, and when the headcount is done wrong, they leave believing everyone is back on board, leaving Daniel and Susan stranded in the water. Open Water is loosely based on the story of Tom and Eileen Lonergan who, in 1998, went out with a scuba driving group on the Great Barrier Reef and were accidentally left behind by the dive-boat crew due to an inaccurate headcount. Where to watch: Prime Video and Plex The great majority of shark films seem to be about the Great White, and this 2021 offering even named itself after the apex predator. Great White stars Katrina Bowden, Aaron Jakubenko, and Tim Kano as they're plunged into a nightmare when a seaplane becomes stranded at sea. As the title suggests, they're not alone, as the surviving passengers discover two Great Whites are circling their life raft. It may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to shark survival horror, but there are some pretty strong performances and nail-biting situations the group must overcome, as well as some bombshell revelations along the way. Where to watch: Available to rent via Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store When you think of shark films, Steven Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster Jaws is sure to be the first you think of. More Trending His Oscar-winning thriller, which served as his mainstream breakthrough, tells the story of a man-eating great white shark that attacks a US seaside town, which prompted a rise in sports fishing across America. Jaws starred Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss, boasted an iconic theme from composer John Williams, and also delivered stone-cold classic movie one-liners like 'We're gonna need a bigger boat'. The film revolutionised the notion of the summer blockbuster, winning numerous awards and quickly becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, spawning three sequels. In 2001, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Post-apocalyptic thriller's season 2 finale is hailed 'perfect' by crushed fans MORE: Viewers have unsettling Final Destination experience after life imitates art in cinema MORE: British woman attacked by a shark on holiday saw her ring finger hanging off
Time Out
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Dangerous Animals
A sun-soaked dream – okay, nightmare – of a midnight movie, this Australian survival horror asks the question: what if Steve Irwin was basically the devil? The answer would probably look a lot like Jai Courtney's shark dive owner Tucker, a brawny bogan who takes backpackers and tourists onto his rusty old boat to enthusiastically introduce them to the bull sharks, makos and great whites that swim off the Gold Coast. First in a cage, then sedated and trapped into a harness, lowered into the water while the sweaty psychopath records it all on his VHS camera. Obviously, he gives them a Vegemite sandwich and some shark facts first. He's not a total monster. The movie's two heroes are American hippie-chick surfer Zephyr (Hassie Harrison) and hunky local softboi Moses (Josh Heuston). They get some cursory character details (her: estranged from parents, likes eating buns; him: sensitive rich kid, drives a Volvo; both: love Creedence Clearwater Revival), and there's a budding romance between them that's rendered in the cheesier possible notes. But the two actors make them easily likeable enough for you to hope they don't end up chomped on by a peckish mako. Zephyr gets abducted during a late-night surf and wakes up chained to a bed aboard Tucker's boat. From there, we're off on a gnarly fun ride in the dank cabins and bloodstained deck of the boat, as the sharks, captured in some gorgeous real-life footage, circle below. This is no Sharknado CG fest – it looks and feels real. And the boat itself is the kind of dank, unpleasant vessel you might find in Wolf Creek. It'll keep horror fans out of the water for years Dangerous Animals may not be big on detailed characterisation and human psychology, but it is very big on Jai Courtney. The Australian actor can get lumbered with colourless roles but here he delivers a performance more hammy and outsized than anything else you'll see this year. His gurning, boggle-eyed face as the resourceful Zephyr turns the tables is genuinely worth the admission fee alone. One word of reservation: the scene that establishes the stakes is a tougher watch than anything in Jaws. Director Sean Byrne and screenwriter Nick Lepard are careful not to cross line that line more than once, but some will still find it off-putting and torture-porny. That said, they do a great job of making their sharks scary without ever vilifying them, even making time to show off their grace and beauty as well as their gnashers. It takes a steady hand to pull off a horror film as outlandish as Dangerous Animals – a movie, lest we forget, that is literally about dangerous animals – but Byrne has pulled off something slick and confident here. It'll keep horror fans out of the water for years.
