The 2025 Australian horror/thriller Dangerous Animals is, in essence, Wolf Creek on the water. Australia knows how to serve up edge of your seat horror. *I’ve been a fan for years of their brilliant output.* Some have called the film “predictable” and yes, it can be called that, but is still works.
Jai Courtney manages to bring his more modern take on Mick Taylor. Taylor was the charming and funny serial killer from both Wolf Creek 1 & 2. Courtney’s unsettling killer could be a blood relative. *Mick Taylor, as played by John Jarratt, is terrifying. I’ve been a fan ever since realizing he is the stable boy in the 1975 film Picnic at Hanging Rock. Each role is a polar opposite in character. Now there’s an actor.*
The Dangerous Animals Story
A young surfer, Zephyr crosses paths with Tucker, a shark enamored serial killer. He wants her body, but not in the usual way. Tucker wants shark food and entertainment. The determined young woman fights for her life.
The Cast
Jai Courtney is Bruce Tucker.
Hassie Harrison is Zephyr.
Josh Heuston is Moses Markley.
Ella Newton is Heather.
Bruce Tucker Versus Mick Taylor
Tucker shares Taylor’s penchant for murdering tourists. It is obvious. A local becomes a new victim for Tucker. Zeph tells him. “He will be missed. He lives here (sic) and drives him mum’s Volvo. They’re gonna look for him.”
The shark loving Tucker cares not one whit. He wants more movie footage to watch whilst eating his tea.
Mick Taylor’s “excuse” is as xenophobic as you can get. He hates anyone who is not Australian. One feels that if there were an Aussie version of the KKK, Mick would be the president.
Tucker is a nasty bit of mentally unbalanced work. He kills for the fun of it, like Taylor, but he really doesn’t care if they are foreigners or not.
Let’s Talk Dangerous Animals
Director Sean Byrne takes Nick Lepard‘s script and rushes headlong into a vortex of tension, suspense and unrelenting violence. It never lets up once we realize that Bruce Tucker is looking for more chum for his shark buddies.
Everything works here. The cast are brilliant. Courtney will send chills down your spine. We totally support Harrison’s character and we cheer her almost hero, Moses. This is one where the casting process delivered in full.
Kudos to Rob Carlton as Dave. His portrayal of the older alcohol loving hanger on at Tucker’s Boat yard is top notch. #nosmallparts.
Thrillers set on the sea are usually a win. Take Dead Calm for example. A movie about a couple who bump into a serial killer on the open seas. It too has a cast to die for. Nicole Kidman, a very young one with Sam Neill and Billy Zane as the killer. Another film that proves casting rules.
The Verdict
Dangerous Animals is a sold 5 star winner. It literally kept me glued to the screen. I was convinced that this Wolf Creek on the water film was going to follow the usual survival horror film. Another critic states that, “Dangerous Animals is criminally underviewed,” it could be down to marketing. It took recommendation from a friend that lead me to finally watching it.
The film is streaming on AMC . Head on over and prepare to be clenched like a tight fist. It is that good.
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