Animal Kingdom

Australian films have not been doing well lately. We got stuck in a rut where we were making some very similar and as some said, a bit depressing. But I think the tide is turning as we are now seeing a great run of quality film making. There is also this thing where Aussies will only see an Aussie film if it gets some overseas recognition first. 'Animal Kingdom' has been receiving lots of praise from other countries so hopefully more Aussies will see it.

When I first saw the trailer for this film I got really excited and knew I was going to see something special. I was not disappointed. Right from the opening scene you know you are in the hands of a skilled film maker. David Michod has taken an event from real life and used this as a stepping point to craft a story about a family in decline. They are not your average family but one comprised of criminals. Into this group comes an innocent who gets caught up in this group of colourful characters and their destructive personalities. The TV series 'Underbelly' has done a lot to make crime very entertaining at the moment and this film furthers that cause. Many have compared this film to 'Underbelly' because of the crime element. That's OK but 'Animal Kingdom' focuses more on one tiny element compared to the grand landscape 'Underbelly' looks at. I hate to say that 'Animal Kingdom' glamorises crime but it does give you an insight into a family whose lives revolve around it and how these people operate. They are still bad people and in some ways you come to understand how that is all they know. They are thieves and they steal, that's all they know how to do. They will then do all they can to protect that way of life. Even if that means taking a life, which they have not trouble doing considering their low morals. David has written a brilliant script which has assembled some of the most interesting characters you have seen in films in a long time. Each of them is cleverly crafted to be a living breathing person. You feel these people really exist. Then he has put them in a story which has so many tragic twists and turns that you are placed on an emotional roller coaster. David has made bad people human and goes dangerously close to making you care about them.


This is one of the best collections of Aussie talent you are ever likely to see. There is not one bad performance. Ben Mendelsohn is one of the best Australian actors working today. His performance here is a perfect example of his brilliance. He does not even need to speak for you to know what he is thinking. There is one scene which had me in tears over how good he was and all he did was give a look. Everything he is thinking is written all over his face. His character is a powder keg just waiting to explode and watching him makes you so nervous because your waiting for that explosion. I was one of the few people who did not like 'The Square' and so had gone off Joel Edgerton a little. That was all forgotten with this film. While he does bad things he is the only stable member of the family with a normal family. Luke Ford proved to all how great an actor he is with 'The Black Balloon' and continues that brilliance here. I love how some Australian actors who have a successful career overseas will return home to do work here. I can understand how Guy Pearce would have rushed home to be part of this great film and he returns the favour with a great performance. I sometimes get worried when actors give brilliant performances on their first film like James Frencheville does here. But then again he may not get a script as brilliant as this for a while. The real joy in this film is seeing an acting legend blowing all the young ones off the screen with her brilliance. Jacki Weaver has crafted such a multi-layered character that you are amazed at how brilliant she is. This would have to be one of the best mothers ever seen on screen. She will do what ever she can to protect her family and will sacrifice whatever she can to do it.


This film will win all the AFI awards this year and rightly so. The film is only getting a very limited release initially, so hopefully enough people will go see it and then it will get a bigger release. Please go see it now if you can so more Aussies will get the chance to see it and put a bit more faith in our film industry.