Animal Kingdom

Name: Animal Kingdom
Genre: Drama, Crime
Released: August 13, 2010
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 83
Cast: Guy Pearce, James Frecheville, Joel Edgerton

2010

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 33 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 135 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 135 Ratings

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Animal Kingdom

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Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: August 13, 2010 | R

Starring: Guy Pearce, James Frecheville, Joel Edgerton

Summary: Tells the story of seventeen year-old J (Josh) as he navigates his survival amongst an explosive criminal family and the detective who thinks he can save him.

Director: David Michôd

Genre(s): Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 113 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Andrew O'Hehir

It's a distinctive, ominous and hypnotic work of cinema. Read full review

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Don't be fooled: In this unpeaceable kingdom, the den mama is also ready to eat her young. Read full review

Richard Corliss

A contemplative crime drama with a high startlement quotient. Read full review

Noel Murray

Animal Kingdom joins in the tradition of brutally unsentimental Australian crime dramas like "The Boys," in which the stakes are low, except to the people staring down the barrel of a gun. Read full review

Elizabeth Weitzman

Most crime stories are content to simply exist, wallowing in their own base violence. But David Michôd's fierce debut takes the genre apart, finding a reason for the madness that propels it. Read full review

Ty Burr

You probably won't see a better directorial debut this year than David Michôd's Animal Kingdom. Read full review

Michael Atkinson

Michôd wants a Greek epic but doesn't have the material. Animal Kingdom is a work of obvious ambition, and seeing a debut filmmaker swing for the fences like this is its own kind of moviehead satisfaction. Read full review

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User Reviews

MarcDoyle

Aug 15, 2010

When the credits rolled, I sat there stunned with this goofy grin on my face. This was easily one of the best 3 or 4 movies I've seen this year, and I see a bunch of 'em. It's so rich and so layered that I don't even want to discuss much of it in detail. It's a movie about a MelbourneWhen the credits rolled, I sat there stunned with this goofy grin on my face. This was easily one of the best 3 or 4 movies I've seen this year, and I see a bunch of 'em. It's so rich and so layered that I don't even want to discuss much of it in detail. It's a movie about a Melbourne family known for taking down banks, but it's more specifically about a young family member's learning to survive in the animal kingdom. The acting is uniformly superb. The writing does away with all of the hackneyed scenes we've seen a thousand times before. There's no need for the courtroom scene, or that of the young grieving widow, or funerals. We've been there. The story is like an extremely taut dramatic rope that gets tweaked about every 15 minutes or so. It was just one hell of a refreshing film. Do what you can to see this thing. Not everyone in my crew loved it as much as I did, but we talked about it continuously for about a half hour when it was over. This has been a tough year for quality movies - don't let the choice steak slip through your fingers (as someone once told me).… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

geewah

Jan 21, 2021

Loosely based on one of Australia's most infamous crime families, this chilling crime drama is one of 2010's best movies.
From the screenplay, to the performances, this movie is one of the best Australian movies in some time.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Levethian

Jan 7, 2011

Australia's version of 'the Town', but superior, expelling the clichÃ©s. The subject family exudes history and abusive chemistry. Grim. Compelling. Harrowing. Satisfying. 10.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

G-Phone

Sep 7, 2010

One of the better films of the year. This is a noir crime drama. It is focused on one family, primarily, while developing all the characters and then allowing us to watch their unraveling. Expect no blockbuster nor made for TV action. The characters were well cast and worked as a tightOne of the better films of the year. This is a noir crime drama. It is focused on one family, primarily, while developing all the characters and then allowing us to watch their unraveling. Expect no blockbuster nor made for TV action. The characters were well cast and worked as a tight ensemble. Not sure why there is that much mention of Inception in the other reviews. It certainly was a decent movie but it was destined as a dazzling blockbuster.Therefore, it is a movie and not a 'film' in my opinion.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

farzanferrari

Sep 28, 2015

fantastic film about crashed gangsta family with war between self consciness and family head line.
joel edgerton act like hell of a actor in this film and you can see the sorrow of the past throw his eyes.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

cameronmorewood

Nov 8, 2012

Has moments of greatness, despite a weak premise and some boring stretches. The performances are also excellent, especially from Jacki Weaver as the mother.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

showmesomemovie

Jun 26, 2011

I WISH I had THAT 2 hours of my life back!! What in the WORLD were the majority of those leaving reviews here actually watching? Did they merely review the trailer? Poor character development, lacks the basis of a plot, drags on and on and on, and....pretty much....Sucks! The ONLY reason toI WISH I had THAT 2 hours of my life back!! What in the WORLD were the majority of those leaving reviews here actually watching? Did they merely review the trailer? Poor character development, lacks the basis of a plot, drags on and on and on, and....pretty much....Sucks! The ONLY reason to watch this is to continuously wonder "what's going to happen next?". Well...let me spoil it for you...Nothing! NOTHING happens with the exception of a twist during the last 10 seconds of the movie. Since you won't develop a fondness for the characters anyway and you'll be wondering to yourself "what's the point?" throughout the film, if you must watch this film; watch the first 10 minutes and the last 10 seconds. This movie was ALMOST as thrilling as Blair Witch. Certainly not as entertaining as Snatch, Kill The Irishman, or The Usual Suspects but this turd (I'm sure) received better reviews than any of those films. Just because it's a "Directorial debut" doesn't mean a film should be wholly lacking.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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