Animal Kingdom movie review (2010)

Animal Kingdom (2010)

After the fantastic horror flick "The Loved Ones", "Animal Kingdom" is yet another proof how good the Aussie filmmakers are at making great movies. It tells the story of J, who after the death of his mother, finds himself living with his estranged family, under the watchful eye of his doting grandmother, Smurf, mother to the Cody boys. J quickly comes to believe that he is a player in this world. But, as he soon discovers, this world is far larger and more menacing than he could ever imagine, J finds himself at the center of a cold-blooded revenge plot that turns the family upside down. Although the pacing is a little off, "Animal Kingdom" is a harsh and tense, yet always realistic crime drama, that glances the life of crime and the consequences of living a life like this. It's truly hard-hitting at times, and due to the tough subject it deals with, the film is often difficult to watch, yet engrossing and strangely captivating. Film's conclusion is unexpected and almost shocking, although I'm not sure if it's completely satisfying. The two things this movie suffers the most are slow pacing and an unengaging protagonist. "Animal Kingdom" features a superb Australian cast who give outstanding performances. Ben Mendlesohn may not be the lead, but his performance is the most memorable and brilliant of all. He is menacing, truly disturbing and downright terrifying as the nasty criminal, Uncle Pope. He definitely steals the show as he delivers one of the most ominous 'villains' in recent memory. James Frecheville as J does a good job, but his character doesn't require much, as he plays an emotionally retarded young man with morose personality. Jacki Weaver is simply flawless as the 'master puppeteer' and leader of her vicious gang of sons. She's kind,sweet and over-bearing, yet cold as ice and even creepy. Guy Pearce as Leckie, does a competent job as usual. Kudos to Luke Ford, Sullivan Stapleton and Joel Edgerton, who turn in great performances as well. Intense, affacting and amazingly-acted, "Animal Kingdom" is Australian film-making at its finest.

• My Rating: 7.75/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 96% (8.1/10)
• IMDb: 8.0/10