The predatory actions of humans all over the world have put us on an inexorable path of planetary destruction to the point where we fear when and how nature will strike back. Directed by Thomas Cailley, who pens the script with Pauline Munier, The Animal Kingdom (Le règne animal) explores these anxieties by imagining a near future where humans are slowly turning into animals. It’s a gripping concept that’s elevated by great practical effects and emotional performances.

The Animal Kingdom takes place in the not-too-distant future when a mysterious disease has caused strange mutations in the human body. Without any previous warning, the infected people start to transform into animals and go feral. Each person turns into a different animal, and with no clear indication of what causes the mutations, there’s a widespread fear your loved ones might become beasts. Furthermore, since the number of cases has been growing exponentially, government officials are rushed to come up with solutions to contain the disease and take care of the infected. In France, for instance, huge concrete compounds were erected to cage the Creatures while doctors pursue a cure.

While there’s a complex sci-fi concept at the heart of The Animal Kingdom, the movie rightfully chooses to put character above worldbuilding. That’s why, instead of spending too long explaining the rules of the mutations, the film throws us in the middle of a complicated family drama that anchors the sci-fi story. While there’s a phenomenal cast of characters in The Animal Kingdom, we mostly follow François (Roman Duris) and Émile (Paul Kircher), father and son led away from their home due to the disease. François’ wife has turned into a Creature, and once she’s transferred to a compound in the South of France, the family moves to stay closer to her, hoping for an eventual cure and reunion. Unfortunately, chaos will soon invade their lives after an accident releases dozens of Creatures into the wild, including François’ wife. To make matters even more complicated, Émile also starts to change, a fact he does what he can to hide from other people.

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‘The Animal Kingdom’ Struggles With Pacing
Image from Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Since people and their relationships are at the center of The Animal Kingdom, Cailley can keep the stakes high for the whole movie. Because of that, the movie can both play with sci-fi ideas and explore relatable subjects like the generational conflicts between fathers and sons. Furthermore, the disease that guides The Animal Kingdom’s plot also allows the movie to discuss eco-friendly ideas such as speciesism and climate change while also exploring themes of prejudice and social panic.

It’s always great when a movie does a good job presenting interesting ideas that’ll keep the audience engaged in the discussion long after the credits roll. However, if The Animal Kingdom works so well it’s due to its impressive performances. Kircher is unquestionably the king of the jungle, perfectly embodying the nuances of a teenager dealing with the strange changes in his body while feeling the pressing need to take a stance in a world that seems to prefer violence to cohabitation. Émile’s journey reflects the challenges the whole world is facing in The Animal Kingdom, as people can no longer ignore the presence of Creatures everywhere. However, for the boy, this journey is way more personal and aggravated by the fact Émile is a kid trying to fit in a new school, where he’s also discovering the pains of love. It’s a demanding role, but Kircher nails it like few actors could, keeping The Animal Kingdom afloat even when pacing issues threaten to sink the story.

While The Animal Kingdom tells a gripping story about acceptance and respect for the natural world, sometimes the movie sinks under the weight of its ambition as it tries to do too much with the limited runtime of a single movie. Since The Animal Kingdom is stretching its script in every possible direction, the movie suffers from a tonal dissonance at times. For instance, the story is often presented as a family-friendly fantastical adventure, where the music is uplifting, and the goal is to wrap things up with a positive message. Nevertheless, The Animal Kingdom also tries to lean into the body horror derived from the mutation, with a couple of stomach-turning scenes that are wonderful in themselves but feel out of place with the whole.

The Ending of ‘The Animal Kingdom’ Holds It Back
Image from Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

The bloated script of The Animal Kingdom also creates some obvious issues when it comes to crafting a satisfying ending. It’s no wonder there are four different closing moments in a row, which can make the last stretch of The Animal Kingdom feel tiresome. Even though everything on screen asks us to prepare to say goodbye, the movie keeps going on. So while the world of The Animal Kingdom is engaging, the script of Cailley and Munier could have trimmed its runtime and streamlined the third act so that all loose threads would tie together more elegantly. It’s easy to understand where the chaos comes from, as The Animal Kingdom is juggling too many subplots simultaneously. Still, the movie could have had a more lasting impact if it had a cleaner closing. While The Animal Kingdom is far from perfect, it still delivers a crowd-pleasing story that can move and thrill in equal measure.

Rating: B

The Animal Kingdom was part of 2023’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.