The Animal
Directed by Luke Greenfield
- comedy
- science fiction
The story
When loser Marvin Mange is involved in a horrible car accident, he's brought back to life by a deranged scientist as half man and half animal. His newfound powers are awesome -- but their adverse side effects could take over his life. Now, Marvin must fight to control his crazy primal urges around his new squeeze, Rianna, and his rival, Sgt. Sisk, who both think he's one cool cat.
What it’s like
Bright, flat studio light and broad, eager framing give this comedy the slick, candy-colored look of early-2000s studio fare, with saturated suburban interiors, bright police-station fluorescents, and a few garish night scenes that smear into neon. The camera stays mostly conventional and centered, cutting quickly between sight gags and reaction shots, and the soundtrack is a bouncy run of pop-rock and canned comic stingers that keeps the energy up. The vibe is goofy, loose and pleasantly dumb, with a cheerfully juvenile streak. It suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a background watch while folding laundry, or a late-night comfort rewatch with friends who enjoy broad physical humor. Pacing is brisk and episodic, with the emotional register kept light: a bumbling, insecure man gradually gains confidence while his animal impulses keep wrecking his plans. Violence is cartoonish and mostly slapstick, with a few brief, bloodless fights and some crude sexual jokes and innuendo; there is no real gore and little genuine menace. It is for viewers who want undemanding, silly, unpretentious comedy with no dread.
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