Dangerous Animals [Movie Review]

Dangerous Animals [Movie Review] | Even though I love snorkelling and diving, I also have thalassophobia, which is kinda contradicting, right?

But the trailers got me hooked and made me book the ticket to watch this one. 

SYNOPSIS

Dangerous Animals (2025) Trivia

• Starring: Hassie Harrison, Josh Heuston, Rob Carlton, Ella Newton, Liam Greinke & Jai Courtney
• Director: Sean Bryne
• Producer: Troy Lum, Andrew Mason, Pete Shilaimon, Mickey Liddell, Chris Ferguson & Brian Kavanaugh-Jones
• Production Company: LD Entertainment, Brouhaha Entertainment, Range Media Partners & Oddfellows Entertainment

• Distributed by: Independent Film Company, Shudder & Kismet Movies 

• Release date: June 12, 2025

• Running time: 98 minutes
• Rating: MA
• Country: United States and Australia
• Language: English
• IMDb: 6.7/ 10
• Tomatometer: 85%
• Metascore: 65%
• This is Sean's first film in 10 years after The Devil's Candy (2015). 
• Dangerous Animals made waves at Cannes 2025, becoming the first Australian film in the Directors’ Fortnight since These Final Hours.
• The movie was shot in open water, not a studio tank, to capture raw, oceanic tension you just can’t fake.

The movie starts with tourists Greg and Heather visiting Tucker’s Experience, a seemingly legit shark cage diving attraction. Heather was a bit reluctant and scared at first, but as she calmed down, she started to enjoy and cherish the calmness and beauty that the underwater world has to offer, among the sharks. 

Unknowing to them, their quirky boat captain, Tucker, carries more than just chum in his cooler. He’s got trauma, twisted fantasies, and a camera for recording something far more sinister than marine life. After a seemingly routine dive, Tucker murders Greg and kidnaps Heather. 

Somewhere on the Gold Coast, Zephyr, an American carefree surfer with commitment issues, has a fleeting romance with Moses, a real estate agent who’s clearly more emotionally invested. As Moses starts to show his affection, she bails and heads to the beach, seeking waves. He meets Tucker there. Seemingly jovial and helpful, but she was taken too by Tucker. 

Zephyr wakes up chained on Tucker’s boat alongside Heather. Tucker, now unmasked as a serial killer, records his victims as shark bait in brutal, blood-soaked “performances.” Heather becomes the latest victim, hoisted above shark-infested waters and fed to the frenzy while Zephyr watches in horror.

Back on land, Moses notices Zephyr’s van being towed. His instincts kick in and he begins piecing the puzzle together. Meanwhile, Zephyr makes a gutsy escape attempt, but it fails. Tucker, who is furious that she destroyed his camera by throwing it into the ocean, returns to land to get a new one.

Thanks to CCTV footage, Moses tracks Tucker’s van and sneaks aboard the docked boat. He finds Zephyr, but before he can save her, Tucker ambushes him. Tucker’s neighbor, Dave, who unknowingly fed him victims, intervenes and pays the ultimate price when he discovers the truth.

Tucker now sets his sights on Moses, using him as shark bait. Despite being stabbed, Moses survives by following Zephyr’s advice: stay still in the water. With a lifeguard chopper circling above, Tucker retreats, only to face one last rebellion from Zephyr. This time, she bites off her own thumb to escape from the handcuffs. 

What if your dream adventure turned into a livestreamed nightmare and the sharks weren’t the only predators in the water?

MY REVIEW

What I Like:  

• Learning that Tucker is not what he seems to be.
• The gory and survival scenes - INTENSE! 

What I Don't Like:

• When Zephyr swims with a missing thumb to the shore, why was there no shark attacking her? Choosy much!

Will I Watch It Again: Yes, I will.   

Overall: 4.8/ 5.0

The pictures are taken from multiple sources on the Internet. Thank you.

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