Dangerous Animals (2025) is directed by Sean Byrne and written by Nick Lepard. It stars Hassie Harrison, Jai Courtney, Josh Heuston, Ella Newton, Liam Greinke, and Rob Carlton. The story follows Zephyr (Harrison), a free-spirited American surfer who finds her nomadic ways challenged when she meets Moses (Heuston), a mysterious local who might be her soulmate. After the two share a romantic night, Zephyr finds herself overwhelmed with emotions and decides to ditch Moses, but is soon kidnapped by Bruce Tucker (Courtney), an ocean wildlife tour guide who uses his job as a means to fuel his passion for feeding his unsuspecting clients to a school of hungry sharks. Having always been a fighter, Zephyr uses her sharp wit and resourceful ingenuity to fight back, plunging her and Bruce into a deadly game of cat & mouse. Meanwhile, Moses’ search for Zephyr slowly begins to point him in the right direction. The question is, can he find her before she becomes nothing more than glorified fish food? 

Hassie Harrison and Josh Heuston both deliver capable performances as the characters we’re supposed to root for, but the script occasionally lets them down. Zephyr is a character whose emotions and motivations are easy to understand, but not particularly unique or original. For example, there are only so many times the genre can implement the “she’s a fighter” trope to explain a protagonist’s otherwise random ability to fight back. Sure, I can believe that some people are just natural survivors, but the script makes a point to remind us, on multiple occasions, that “she’s a fighter” for no other reason than the other characters (who barely know her) say she is. Harrison’s performance is fiery enough to forgive how basic the character is, but there’s no doubt that some sharper writing would’ve sent this otherwise impressive “slasher” into the stratosphere. 

This basic writing also extends to the character’s romance with Moses; It feels jarringly fast and therefore forced. That being said, the character of Moses does create an interesting connection to the film’s title and themes. Although they are both unknown to Zephyr, Moses and Bruce each represent the two most radical things a stranger could turn out to be: Your soulmate or your killer. Although sharks are dangerous, at least we’re aware of it, and thus can take the proper steps to keep ourselves safe. The nature of their danger is, at the very least, predictable. When it comes to humans, they could be anything. In a way, that makes them a far more dangerous animal.

Thankfully, the script seems keenly aware that Bruce is easily the story’s most compelling character. Like most great slasher films, Dangerous Animals features a killer with a unique MO who’s brought to life through a wonderfully zany yet chilling performance. This role finally allows Jai Courtney to chew the scenery, proving that, acting-wise, he’s a force to be reckoned with. The setting also allows him to implement his native accent, which results in the character feeling like the aquatic version of fellow Aussie serial killer Mick Taylor from the underrated Wolf Creek franchise.          

The film’s cat-and-mouse, battle-of-wills premise is one we’ve seen in the genre countless times before, but its shark movie elements set it apart. This creates a film that naturally implements the best kinds of thrills both the slasher and shark genres have to offer. Yes, the script isn’t very complex or surprising, but it’s balanced by director Sean Byrne’s keen eye for striking visuals. Although the story has B-movie sensibilities, the cinematography is near damn near Oscar-worthy. Whatever the story seems to lack in terms of tension is made up for by the consistently chilling camerawork. Creating emotions simply through visuals is an impressive feat and a good sign of an uncommonly talented director. 

The deaths, despite never being particularly surprising, feel genuinely horrific and bloody in the way they should be. A significant portion of the shark-led violence takes place underwater, but in this case, the implied nature of how they attack/kill amplifies tension, rather than feeling like a missed opportunity to deliver some legendary carnage candy. The body count is also notably small, but the set pieces in which characters die are intelligently executed and rolled out at the perfect pace. 

Overall, this is an impressively produced, well-directed, and exciting genre mash-up that will easily satisfy fans of both slasher and shark films. The story isn’t original or surprising in any way, which somewhat detracts from its appeal. That being said, it feels like an improved version of something we’ve seen before. You’ll recognize this kind of experience, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the ride. It’s like eating McDonald’s cheeseburgers for two weeks straight and then eating one made by a five-star chef. Yeah, they’re both cheeseburgers, but they’re so different in quality that the experiences of eating them are incomparable. B