Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

The Animal Kingdom Blu-ray Movie Review

PETA and the wolf.

Reviewed by Randy Miller III September 23, 2024

Thomas Cailley's dystopian drama The Animal Kingdom (Le règne animal) adds sci-fi zeal to its coming-of-age core story, dropping us headfirst into a world where a relatively new and contagious disease gradually mutates its victims into grotesque, animal-like creatures. This tale is told from the perspective of François (Romain Duris) and his teenage son Émile (Paul Kircher), whose contaminated wife and mother has gone missing after an accident during transport from the local hospital. Having recently moved due to a new job opportunity, François spends most of his free time looking for his missing wife while Émile struggles to fit in at a new school, finding a few kindred spirits including Nina (Billie Blain). During a search in the woods one afternoon, Émile is attacked by a winged bird-like man nicknamed "Fix" (Tom Mercier) and quickly discovers that he's been cursed with the same disease as his missing mother.

The Animal Kingdom cares deeply for the father-son dynamic, perhaps even more than their relationships with other people; we see them as two lost souls who depend on each other for support. François has clearly been gutted by the loss of his wife and struggles with single fatherhood; he's initially critical of everything his son says, does, or eats, and this initial disconnect makes Émile scared to tell his dad about the horrifying disease that will eventually overtake him. Often retreating to the woods in solitude, Émile soon begins to hate the sudden new changes in his body -- sharp claws under his fingernails, body hair, protruding bones in his back -- but also reconnects with "Fix", who likewise struggles to use his new wings and needs a bit of guidance. Yet it's not long before the truth comes out and, soon enough, military intervention threatens to shatter what little peace remains in their fiercely divided rural community.

At just over two hours, The Animal Kingdom thankfully gives its audience enough time to adjust to its unusual world, which reveals itself with the first few minutes but doesn't answer every lingering question about the disease at hand. We're never given an explanation, only that it seems to be incurable and has caused the expected amount of paranoia, sympathy, and hatred among those unaffected: some would prefer to live and let live, while others are basically ready to shoot the beasts on sight. A clear-cut allegory for both the turbulent relationship between humans and animals as it pertains to omnivores vs. vegetarians as well as a reactionary measure towards epidemics and pandemics past and present, The Animal's measured approach to its subject matter elevates this material to respectable heights.

This is a fairly modestly budgeted production and thankfully makes use of excellent practical effects, although other moments in The Animal Kingdom employ CGI that isn't always convincing. What is convincing are the performances: relative newcomer Paul Kircher puts in solid work here, and seasoned vet Romain Duris -- who impressed greatly in both 2005's The Beat My Heart Skipped and 2010's Heartbreaker, among others -- takes full advantage of his meaty role as a single parent who struggles with losing the last member of his family. Their shared scenes are consistent highlights, but The Animal Kingdom has other big ideas and, for the most part, isn't afraid to explore them on-screen. Although the script is a little rough in spots and a handful of minor detours could've easily been trimmed with no real impact to the overall story, this is still an impressive film that I'm glad got a domestic release.

Magnolia Entertainment's recent Blu-ray edition of The Animal Kingdom unfortunately isn't quite as well-rounded as it should have been, but established fans and newcomers can at least look forward to a decent-quality A/V presentation and a choice of English subtitles for this native French film or a full-on domestic dub. Studio Canal also released a 4K/Blu-ray combo pack in the film's home country earlier this year, but sadly it's not English-friendly at all.

The Animal Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Animal Kingdom looks decent enough on Magnolia Home Entertainment's domestic Blu-ray, which as mentioned earlier was preceded by Studio Canal's France-released 4K/Blu-ray combo pack that unfortunately isn't English-friendly. So unless another UHD edition materializes elsewhere in the world that changes its outlook, American fans will have to make do with what's essentially a very good but not quite exceptional 1080p transfer that should get the job done on small to medium-sized displays. Fine detail is impressive in the right conditions, as this handsomely-shot production generally exceeds its modest budget from a purely visual perspective with an overwhelmingly natural and borderline organic appearance that often blends in its more fantastic elements fairly well. Colors are nicely represented with no obvious blooming or bleeding and contrast seems decently balanced, although black levels tend to waver and rarely dig quite as deep as expected. The Blu-ray boasts a mostly supportive bit rate from start to finish (typically hovering in the 25-35 Mbps range), although mild amounts of banding and posterization could be spotted on several occasions; this creates a slightly patchy appearance on subtle gradients but luckily doesn't prove too distracting.

While I'd probably rate it closer to a 3.75/5 overall, what's here is solid enough to earn a courtesy bump. That said, I'd be interested in seeing a 4K presentation, and especially one outfitted for Dolby Vision support.

The Animal Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track is presented in its original French and comfortably strolls into easy 4/5 territory, offering a potent but not overcooked mix that plays to the film's strengths. The Animal Kingdom isn't heavy on action and is thus generally subdued during many dialogue-heavy stretches, occasionally opening up when needed for natural atmospheric ambience, occasional bursts of tension, and a few primal moments that stand in contrast to everything else. I also failed to mention the original score by pop and classical soloist Andrea Laszlo De Simone, who's apparently making his soundtrack debut here; it's deceptively simple on the surface but always manages to add an extra layer during the scenes and moments it appears. I'm looking forward to hearing more from him in the future.

In addition to optional English subtitles for dialogue and key text translation, we also get a full DTS-HD 5.1 MA English dub with matching standard and SDH subtitles. These generally aren't my cup of tea, but it seems to be a decent effort with similar dynamics and presence... so if subtitles absolutely terrify you, this should fit the bill nicely.

The Animal Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This one-disc release ships in a keepcase with cover artwork that oddly doesn't feature either of its main characters, instead making The Animal Kingdom look like a generic direct-to-disc sci-fi actioner with delusions of Predator grandeur. No slipcover or inserts are included, nor do we get any bonus features. Disappointing!

The Animal Kingdom Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Thomas Cailley's The Animal Kingdom is a dystopian drama with heart, one that reins in its admittedly oddball story with captivating performances, impressive practical effects, and two main characters that you'll care about. Magnolia's Blu-ray can't quite measure up despite a decent A/V presentation, as the total lack of bonus features -- not to mention a 4K option -- takes this from an easy recommendation to a slightly more cautious blind buy. I'm still recommending it based on the film's obvious strengths, but I'm hoping this won't be the last English-friendly release available.