“You and me, we fend for ourselves. We’re sharks.”
The world has seen plenty of shark movies, but nothing quite like IFC Films’ epic thriller, Dangerous Animals. So often, sharks are portrayed as the enemy, as vicious creatures to fear and avoid, but Dangerous Animals flips the script with a chilling twist: the real monster is a human being. This gripping film will keep you on the edge of your seat with jaw-dropping moments that leave you holding your breath through every nerve-wracking scene.
What was supposed to be a peaceful and tranquil day of surfing quickly turns into a nightmare for Zephyr. Her path crosses with “Captain” Tucker, who at first appears to be a happy-go-lucky, harmless guy until his true, sinister nature is revealed. When Zephyr becomes the next target in Tucker’s shark-obsessed killing spree, she must do everything in her power to survive.
The unparalleled cast of Dangerous Animals
Dangerous Animals stars Jai Courtney as Tucker, Hassie Harrison as Zephyr, and Josh Heuston as Moses Markley. Courtney, Harrison, and Heuston make up the dream trio that brings this hair-raising film to life. Courtney deserves every award possible for his truly brilliant performance. His acting prowess makes him the perfect villain in this movie. No one could have taken on the role as phenomenally as he did, striking a great balance between dark comedy and frightening intensity.
Harrison’s performance is show-stopping. Her portrayal makes Zephyr a strong-willed, powerful, and unforgettable character. She merits a standing ovation for the passion and depth she brought to the role. Heuston rounds out the cast in a spectacular way. His character is dreamy, the kind of person you hope to meet in real life. His excellent acting shines throughout the film, making him someone we’re so excited to see more of in future projects.
Celebrating the Dangerous Animals premiere in Los Angeles
The incredible film had its official premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, and continued the celebration shortly after at the Los Angeles premiere of the movie, which took place on May 27 at the iconic Egyptian Theatre. The cast, along with director Sean Byrne, and writer Nick Lepard attended the event and took part in a stellar Q&A after the screening of the movie.
“I think the fun part about the character of Tucker is that there’s a lot of depth to him actually,” said Courtney during the Q&A. “We sort of explored that in varying degrees. Some stuff made the edit, some didn’t.”
“But there was an effort to really dig into the sort of tender, wounded child that is probably alive in a lot of serial killers,” Courtney continued. “It’s gotta stem from somewhere real. I was sort of gifted with something where it was easy not to judge him in a way, and instead kind of find some truth. But yet, develop this fun, cringey boat captain on the surface, so I leapt at the opportunity, obviously. It’s just such great material.”
A must-see shark story
Fifty years after the release of one of the most legendary shark films, Jaws, a new era has begun with Dangerous Animals officially stepping onto the scene as this generation’s iconic shark movie. I had the honor of attending the Los Angeles premiere of Dangerous Animals, and I can’t emphasize this enough—everyone needs to see this film.
Check out some photos below from the Los Angeles premiere of Dangerous Animals and watch my recap video of the event! The film hits theaters on June 6.
Photo Credits: January Images
