Dangerous Animals – Film Review

Director – Sean Byrne
Writer – Nick Lepard
Stars – Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Heuston

In case you’re wondering, the Dangerous Animals of the title of this film is Man! While sharks do feature, this film is largely set above the surface of the water.

The main character of this film is Zephyr (Hassie Harrison from Yellowstone). She’s a hard-as-nails, young woman who has come to Australia to find the perfect wave. She’s a surfer and spends her days on the ocean. She meets a young man by the name of Moses Markley (Josh Heuston) and the two have 12 hours of bliss in the back of her van! The two separate and swap numbers, with Moses interested in continuing their burgeoning relationship. Zephyr goes to the beach early in the morning, where she is kidnapped by Bruce Tucker (Jai Courtney), a serial killer with a penchant for feeding his live victims to sharks!

This is a new horror film by Sean Byrne, who previously directed horror films The Devil’s Candy (2015) and The Loved Ones (2009). While there is nothing particularly original in the script, the dialogue is quite snappy and the plot freewheels in a variety of directions as we watch the lengths that Zephyr is willing to go to, to survive! Jai Courtney is brilliant in the role of Bruce Tucker, and actually comes across as quite likeable at times, despite his main interests being stabbing people and feeding them to sharks. The film is not as gruelling as it sounds, and there are some playful touches to the story, along with the sentimental love story. If you’re a fan of the genre, this is an enjoyable trip on the waves!