Quite the genre bender. ***Le Règne Animal*** is a drama with sci-fi elements, action, body horror and even a few scares. It really doesn't pick a lane. It's original enough because of that mix but remains very Hollywoodized and safe. The premise of a weird disease that turns people into animal hybrids, and them being alienated serves as another example of humanity and it's ever lasting repulsion to anything that's different and unknown. We've all seen this countless times before but I still think they did a good job with it.

It takes itself seriously the whole runtime despite it's silly premise and for the most part that worked for me. Pretty good acting all around even from the younger actors, well shot, nice natural landscapes and overlong runtime. Getting to see all the creatures was the best part and i'm surprised by how good the special effects and makeup looks. A lot more action than what I anticipated, especially in the third act. Hits right with the emotional beats when it needs to but not enough to shed a tear or anything. Great ending.

What animal would I want to be? A lobster of course.

What a great movie, if it was a little shorter and the storyline was worked out a little bit I wouldn’t have been able to tell it wasn’t a normal blockbuster movie, instead it was a Cannes Film Festival (Best FX, music, Cinematography, and Costume).

And although they did mention a disease (flu like) could be what was causing the “change”, they also said mutations of a gene which is much more likely in this scenario as descendants but not family members that lived together were susceptible.

All of that aside, this show puts a new spin on us vs them and the “monster” genre. It does a really good job at giving the audience a good look at both sides to allow them the perspective of the persecution and that of the scared society (afraid for their lives).

In theaters and on digital March 15 2024
http://theanimalkingdommovie.com/

"It's majestic." The production, makeup, costumes, and designs are mind blowingly good. The cgi/greenscreening was good enough, a lot better than some of the recent big budget cgi movies. The acting was incredible the whole way round. In a weird way, it was relatable. Change the story using real-life issues, and it still would make sense. The genre itself was a mix. Coming of age? Horror? Thriller? Romance? Comedy? Sci-Fi? Drama? Fantasy? The cinematography and locations were incredible, as was the score and sound design. A riptide of emotion.