Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Endangered Species Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 31, 2021

Last year, co-writer/director M.J. Bassett crafted “Rogue,” using African locations to detail an action story with a strong anti-poaching message, using genre filmmaking to reach an audience unaccustomed to such lessons about nature. The plan didn’t work, as Bassett wasn’t committed to thrills, casting choices were decidedly underwhelming, and incredibly crude CGI undermined efforts to explore a tale about the preciousness of animal life. Apparently refusing to give up on her dream of message-minded moviemaking, Bassett returns to (or perhaps she never left) Africa for “Endangered Species,” which is being marketed as a horror-tinged survival story, but it’s more of dysfunctional family study, spending more time with domestic concerns than deadly encounters. Bassett once again labors to make the material meaningful, returning to the grisliness of poaching and the destruction of the natural world. Perhaps a straight-up documentary should be her next creative endeavor, as the challenge of conjuring suspense and proper CGI animals is clearly too much for Bassett to handle.

A family trip has been arranged for the Halsey family, with dad Jack (Philip Winchester) hoping to enjoy one last group bonding moment with his wife, Lauren (Rebecca Romijn), son Noah (Michael Johnston), and daughter Zoe (Isabel Bassett), who’s also bringing along her boyfriend, Billy (Chris Fisher). They’re off to Kenya to find rest and relaxation, and participate in a safari, seeing all the country has to offer. Problems arrive with Jack’s employment status, as the Exxon executive has recently been fired from his job due to an environmental disaster, but he hasn’t told anyone, trying to secretly keep vacation costs down. Instead of paying for a guide to take them through a park, Jack decides to drive the gang himself, speeding through the front gates without registering. On their way through the wild, the family’s truck is smashed and tipped over by a rhino defending its calf, leaving them exposed to the elements as Jack manages a leg wound, Lauren deals with a diabetic episode, and the kids struggle to make sense of the crisis while confronting their emotional issues.

Bassett has a strange way of showing her love for Africa. There are plenty of big shots of glorious country, creating a paradise for the Halsey family to visit, embracing their last round as a domestic unit. But “Endangered Species” is also very careful to identify the area as a hellish area filled with poachers motivated by easy money, collecting animal horns for quick profit, leaving the carcasses behind to rot in the hot sun. Violence is a way of life in Kenya, and while Bassett is open to confront such issues, she’s not capable of dealing with them in a meaningful way, creating a weird duality to “Endangered Species” that offers an honest assessment of vicious Kenyan dangers, and also captures its appeal as an exotic getaway for rich tourists. It’s not exactly clear if the helmer is celebrating or condemning the country.

“Endangered Species” is not an action movie. Bassett is more interested in a survival feature this time around, offering a screenplay (co-written by Isabel Bassett) that examines all the wrong moves Jack makes with his troubled vacation. He’s lost his job, unable to fund parts of the vacation, forcing him to pass on a guided tour of wildlife. His relationship with Lauren is deteriorating, hoping Kenya will bring them closer together. Noah is a young, gay teen unable to communicate with his dad. And Zoe deals with paternal issues as well, sticking close to Billy and his love of mind-altering experiences. Jack panics early on in the feature, which results in the group being stranded in the middle of nowhere, with no one aware of their location. Expectations for a gritty fight for life are unavoidable, especially with the presence of hyenas in the area. However, “Endangered Species” is more interested in wounded hearts, spending an incredible amount of the run time on interpersonal issues as the possibly of death takes a back seat to parental resentment and sibling irritation.

Bassett doesn’t charge “Endangered Species” up, only intermittently getting the movie in motion, including a trek for Noah and Billy to find cell phone service, encountering a hungry leopard instead. And there’s Lauren’s dwindling health as her insulin vials are shattered in the rhino rampage, along with water supplies, finding glass bottles broken in the chaos (weirdly, as ecologically conscious as Bassett is, she inadvertently allows a pro- plastic message to slip through). While the crisis transforms into something more traditional in the third act, with expat Mitch (Jerry O’Connell) joining the story, most of “Endangered Species” involves characters bickering with one another while the writing works in criticisms of corporate corruption, environmental nightmares, and the scourge of greed. It’s all quite dull, though it’s hard to argue with the photographic appeal of Kenya.

Endangered Species Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation primarily deals with the open world of the African locations, and dimension reaches far, showing off the natural beauty of the land, as the production intends. Detail is also strong with actor particulars, including textured facial surfaces and safari clothing. Wounds are also appreciable. Clarity doesn't exactly help the crude CGI animals found in the film. Colors favor a warmer palette for the adventure, offering yellow sun and blue skies, and greenery is distinct. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory, handling dark evening encounters acceptably. Some mild banding is detected.

Endangered Species Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track offers a hearty sense of the score, which provides a loud presence in the surrounds, identifying moods with crisp instrumentation and some low-end power. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, securing crisp emotionality and panicky reactions. Animal sounds are equally defined, also pushing circular at times.

Endangered Species Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features co-writer/director M.J. Bassett.

• Commentary #2 features co-writer/director M.J. Bassett and actors Philip Winchester and Jerry O'Connell.

• Interviews (HD) offer time with co-writer/director M.J. Bassett (9:30), co-writer/actor Isabel Bassett (7:16), and actors Rebecca Romijn (3:46), Philip Winchester (7:07), Jerry O'Connell (2:31), Chris Fisher (3:29), and Michael Johnston (3:33). These are EPK-style conversations about the making of "Kenya" (the feature's original title), with the participants presenting story points, character motivations, and general production platitudes. For Romijn and O'Connell, the job provided a chance to return to Kenya, with the couple previously enjoying time in the country.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:51, HD) is included.

Endangered Species Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

As with "Rogue," the CGI animals look cartoonish, never blending in with their surroundings. It's budget work for a story that commands more realistic imagery, losing the potency of the wild kingdom threat with clunky computer creations. Certainly Bassett doesn't want to contribute to the exploitation of animals, but this picture becomes a cartoon at times, and a tedious one too. The idea to open viewer eyes to the evils of the world and the fragility of African wildlife is laudable, but "Endangered Species" fails to provide a reason to remain invested in clumsy screenwriting and performances, diluting the shock value Bassett is hoping to deliver.