Ben Affleck's 'Animals' Exposes Political Corruption and Personal Betrayal on Netflix
The thriller follows a mayoral candidate whose life unravels when his son is targeted in a kidnapping plot, revealing a web of deceit and ambition.
Netflix's latest crime thriller, "Animals," directed by and starring Ben Affleck, delves into the dark underbelly of Los Angeles politics and personal relationships. The film, co-written by Affleck, Connor O. McIntyre, and Billy Ray, centers on Mark Kimball (Affleck), a wealthy lawyer funding his own independent campaign for mayor. His political aspirations and personal life take a perilous turn when a kidnapping plot unfolds, exposing a deep-seated corruption and profound betrayal.
A Campaign Built on Shaky Ground
Mark Kimball's campaign for mayor is deeply personal, financed entirely by his own savings. His past actions as a lawyer, particularly a lawsuit against companies for polluting drinking water, have created a dangerous enemy in James Bureaux, a small business owner financially ruined by the litigation. Bureaux is depicted obsessively researching Kimball.
Meanwhile, Kimball's personal life is equally complicated. His wife, Abigail (Kerry Washington), is at odds with their housekeeper, Cecilia (Adriana Paz), who wishes to hire her boyfriend, Ramon (Luis Gerardo Méndez). Abigail rejects this, citing Ramon's undocumented status and Mark's need to strictly adhere to the law during his mayoral run.
Kimball's campaign is not gaining traction, trailing in the polls. His campaign manager, Sam (Steven Yeun), believes winning over the Latino vote could be the key, arranging for Kimball to speak at a crucial Latino event. Kimball is desperate, having spent all his money and now secretly liquidating his home. Unbeknownst to him, Abigail is having an affair with a UCLA professor.
The Kidnapping Plot Unfolds
The situation escalates when Kimball's young son, Denny, is tricked into going trick-or-treating with Hector, the son of Cecilia's boyfriend, Ramon. Later that night, a distorted voice calls Kimball, claiming to have kidnapped Denny and demanding a $7 million ransom. The caller provides a photo of Denny in his Halloween costume as proof and warns Kimball not to contact the police.
Unable to meet the demand, Kimball is forced to reveal to Abigail that their finances are depleted. Sam, present during the call, suggests contacting a mysterious woman who can procure the ransom money quickly, for a significant fee. This woman is revealed to be Gayle Burton (Gillian Anderson). After Mark and Abigail agree to Burton's terms, Denny reappears, unharmed, revealing the kidnapping was a hoax.
However, the drama intensifies when Cecilia and Ramon arrive, reporting that Cecilia was attacked. Kimball receives more photos, realizing the kidnapper mistakenly took Hector, not Denny. Despite initial thoughts of calling the police, Sam persuades them against it, arguing that the political optics of paying a ransom for his own son while risking an undocumented boy's life would be disastrous for Kimball's campaign, especially his pursuit of the Latino vote. Furthermore, the ransom money has already been secured from Burton.
Gayle Burton then proposes a violent alternative: sending assassins with Kimball to eliminate the kidnappers during the ransom exchange. This would allow Burton to recover the ransom money instead of being owed the loan. Abigail initially objects, but after Mark discovers her affair, his resolve hardens. He admits his desires to win the election, run for president, and have the kidnappers eliminated.
The Climax and Aftermath
The following morning, Mark heads to the ransom drop-off with Gayle's assassins. Gayle reveals she has a recording of Mark requesting the killings. At the meeting point, the kidnapper, disguised and using a voice modulator, taunts Mark. Hector is delivered by being pushed down a hill in a wagon, and Mark manages to catch him.
As Gayle's assassins eliminate most of the kidnappers, one remains. This surviving kidnapper then shoots and kills Gayle when she arrives to collect the money. The lone kidnapper approaches Mark and Hector, but is shot and killed by a sniper, who is revealed to be Ramon.
Ramon, an undocumented immigrant who just killed a man with an unregistered firearm, fears the consequences. The fate of the $7 million ransom money also remains uncertain.
A Manufactured Hero
The film jumps to a press conference where Mark Kimball, having won the mayoral election, presents a narrative of transparency. He and Ramon have concocted a story: Mark claims he gave Ramon the ransom money, and that Mark himself followed Ramon to the drop-off and shot the kidnapper with his grandfather's unregistered gun.
Mark pleads guilty to minor charges related to firearm possession, receiving probation and community service. This fabricated heroism wins him crucial Latino support and secures his victory as mayor of Los Angeles.
Ramon, along with Cecilia and Hector, agrees to return to Mexico without facing jail time. Flashbacks reveal that Mark and Ramon disposed of the bodies of Gayle and the other kidnappers. Ramon uses the ransom money to establish a successful ranch in Mexico. The film concludes by showing Mark seemingly reconciling with Abigail and contemplating a presidential run, though he denies it to the press. The narrative reveals that Mark achieved all his objectives through deception.
The Identity of the Kidnapper
In a final flashback, Mark unmasks the primary kidnapper, revealing an older, white man with a beard. This individual is identified as James Bureaux, the same man seen researching Mark at the beginning of the film, likely one of the small business owners ruined by Kimball's past lawsuit. Despite initial suspicions of insider involvement, particularly towards Sam, the kidnapper is revealed to be an unconnected individual.