Expected more

Boring

An unexpected masterpiece

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Family of criminals goes down the drain on a path of violence. Really that's all there's to it. "Animal Kingdom" is a barrage of violence upon violence. It is structured and acted in a way that makes it feel as if it were a true story, because the performances by the actors are so believable. I read the notes and it seems to be partly inspired by true events. The almost documentary approach in filming hightened this feeling of watching a "fly on the wall" documentary. All this realism made me react intenser to the characters than I would normally do.For example I really loathed the guy who was the head of the family, because of his inbread instinct to solve any problem with a killing spree. What he did was just plain repulsive killing for revenge and to silence witnesses to his crimes. No fun to watch. Fascinating nonetheless. Dont watch this if you like to see some heroic type of violence. The type of violence in "Animal Kingdom" is like a kick in your guts. Director David Michod has got a knick for making movies full of violence that make me feel depressed. Still it is a very good portrayal of what violence does: it breeds more violence. And for that quality and for the real life portrayal by the actors I highly recommend this picture. David Michod's films are the best antidote for the usual hollywood glorification of violence. 8 stars.

And just about as interesting.No idea why it gets high votes as it wasn't that interesting and was a real plodder of a movie.Good acting but that alone cant save a script and story that is devoid of interest and excitement. I found it rather depressing , tedious , banal and some of the actors i had seen before I just cant imagine Ben Mendelsohn as a hard man - he is about as hard as a Saturday night toilet kebab and just made me laugh from the off!

ANIMAL KINGDOM is another slice of gruelling nastiness that comes to us courtesy of our Australian cousins. It's not quite as downbeat and depressing as SNOWTOWN, although it gets close at times. This elaborate thriller is about a sprawling family of ne'er-do-wells and no-good criminals and what happens when a young and innocent relation is brought into the fold.It's not really the narrative that's important here, although there are a number of fresh situations and off-hand moments that make it stand out (that opener is a real clincher). It works best when delivering a series of shocks and sudden twists that the viewer certainly doesn't see coming. No, it's the characterisation where ANIMAL KINGDOM really shines; this is a film for actors, showcasing a number of realistic performances from the cast.Ben Mendelsohn is the one who really stands out in his star-making turn as the thoroughly creepy guy at the top of the chain, while Joel Edgerton and Sullivan Stapleton bring depth to their otherwise thuggish roles. James Frecheville plays it quiet and understated as the lead although the reliable Guy Pearce shines as a cop. Jacki Weaver may play one of the most understated and nasty characters ever. It's a decent film, certainly more compelling than most things Hollywood put out these days.

Pope in this movie, his eyes, they're pure evil. What else can you say, the first moment he enters the act, you just get a massively uneasy feeling wash over you. The music in this movie is really well done. Came to this movie after watching The Rover and this one is as much if not better than that one. It has the same feel to it. Very stark deep and emotionally involving.. The characters develop incredibly well, you end up feeling their feelings. When Pope murders the guy's girlfriend, that was pretty much one of the most evil things I've ever seen in a movie. It was actually absolutely shocking. The animal kingdom is full of beasts. Let us not forget that humans are beasts just like all the rest.