So much of art is about metaphor and subtext, the delicate balance of communicating larger ideas into a seemingly unrelated storyline. When done successfully in film, the main narrative can stand alone as an intact, cohesive whole in which layers of commentary are woven into the piece so subtly they often require scrutiny and reexamination to fully unveil. When done unsuccessfully, the subtext is just text and the narrative and rules of the world that the film establishes go out the window in favor of heavy-handed messaging. Animals tells the story of Zoya (Serine Sianosian) a young woman of Muslim descent who is visiting the house of her recently deceased mother. When a mysterious white woman (Rachel Alig) shows up unexpectedly saying she booked the place as an Airbnb she quickly becomes an unwanted guest who won’t leave.

The reason the characters’ race is important to note is because this film is about colonialism. It’s fully and entirely about colonialism to the point where it has to bend over backwards to wedge all the key aspects of such a vast and complex subject into a short story about an online booking mix-up. It’s unfortunate because while the film makes valid points and brings up important topics that most people would rather sweep under the rug than think about it does so at the expense of telling a story that can stand on its own. Instead, we watch an unrealistic situation play out between a spineless doormat and an obvious lunatic.

Its a shame because the film is well acted and decently shot but it was fighting an uphill battle from the beginning in trying to condense an idea that big into any kind of short narrative. Colonialism isn’t something that occurs as an isolated incident that happens overnight and as such effectively portraying the metaphor requires a medium that can give the idea enough space for world-building and character development. The slow burn of the established reality giving way to an unrecognizable new one needs to unfold insidiously under the veil of banality because when the temperature goes up one degree at a time, the frog doesn’t realize he’s swimming in a cooking pot until its too late.

Availability: Unavailable

Currently there is no release date for the film but more info can be found on the film’s Instagram page