ANIMAL (2014) On Syfy... Oh The B-Movie Fun!

TV review of ANIMAL, on Syfy Channel

I came across the film Animal on Syfy and decided to check it out. It's not often these days that I settle in for a B-movie these days, and a monster of the week movie, who could resist? OK, well, maybe you can, but I thought I'd check it out.

The cast included Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy, Still the King), Elizabeth Gillies (Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, Dynasty), Paul Iacono (G.B.F, Fame), Thorsten Kaye (All My Children, The Bold and the Beautiful), Amaury Nolasco (Prison Break, Transformers [What the heck was he doing in this film? Did he lose a bet or something?]) and a few other (acting) victims.

It was directed by director/writer/actor Brett Simmons (Husk, The Monkey's Paw).

"When plans for a weekend vacation hit a dead end, a group of close-knit friends find themselves stranded in unfamiliar territory, pursued by a menacing, blood thirsty predator. Holed up in an isolated cabin, tensions mount as long-buried secrets are revealed. As the body count rises, the group must put their differences aside and fight for survival."

OK, so where do I begin?

First, the film got a 4.8/10 on IMDb. Sure, it was not a top-notch film, but the casting was perfect, the filming was fine, and the acting did not feel stiff or distracting. And the monster was perfect for a TV monster movie flick!

It was simple and still a bit entertaining with all the usual tropes except for one...

After a few deaths, and being trapped in the cabin and experiencing some character flaws and shortcomings, someone had the brilliant idea that if they were trapped in the cabin (in the woods), why couldn't they lure the monster in and trap it inside the cabin!? I was like, huh, I have seen that before!

Of course there was the standard tank tops, strapping tight blouses  and muscles to keep the movie visually engaging, while the monster did not completely suck.

When you see it on TV, should you stick around or...? Well, if you need some noise on the TV and leave it on, I think you'll be entertained.

Of course the film ended in such a way that left it wide open for a sequel, and I laughed that off. But then again, I came across some press releases saying there will be a sequel! Oy!


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