Not to be confused with David Michôd’s gritty Australian crime thriller with almost the same name, “The Animal Kingdom” from director Thomas Cailley couldn’t be more different. Part fantasy and part coming-of-age drama, Cailley’s movie (which he co-wrote with Pauline Munier) is filled with big ideas and even better intentions. But as it progresses those ideas grow more and more familiar. And those good intentions alone have a difficult time holding our interest.

“The Animal Kingdom” drops us into a world where a wave of unexplained mutations are causing humans to gradually transform into animals. Birds, wolves, bears, octopuses, chameleons, you name it. The movie never attempts to explain the origin of the mutations or why certain people become certain animals. In a sense it’s disappointing as it feels like a missed opportunity to take the story in some fascinating directions. But it quickly becomes evident that Cailley is much more interested in the human element which makes his focus on his characters understandable.

Romain Duris plays Francois, a husband and father who has a lot on his plate. His wife Lana is in a facility undergoing treatment for her own animal mutation. Her doctors have no idea how to treat her and want to move her south to a new treatment center. Francois agrees – a decision that adds stress to his relationship with his teenage son Emile (Paul Kircher). Francois rents out a small house near Lana’s new location and gets a job as a cook while Emile enrolls in an area high school.

While transporting Lana, the bus carrying her and other mutants crashes during a storm leading them to escape into the nearby forest. Local authorities, including a sympathetic and compassionate officer named Julia (Adèle Exarchopoulos), begin searching for the patients but are ordered to stand down as the military takes over. Unhappy with the results, Francois and a reluctant Emile begin searching the forests despite them being ruled off limits by the police.

As Emile tries to please and support his heartbroken father, he also tries to fit in at his new school. He takes a special liking to a classmate named Nina (Billie Blain) and the two begin to grow close. Emile’s attempt to balance these two sides of his life play a big part in the story. And both become significantly more difficult after he himself begins showing signs of a mutation. He tries to hide the signs at first, knowing the consequences he’ll face in the mostly intolerant society.

From that synopsis you get a taste of the social commentary Cailley is interested in. To his credit he’s not overbearing with it. But he’s not particularly subtle either. In fact, sometimes his messaging is so pointed that it can be hard to buy into certain scenes. But much more than that, the film’s biggest issue is with its pacing. There are several slow patches where the story doesn’t seem to go anywhere. It meanders to the point that you really feel the film’s 130-minute length.

“The Animal Kingdom” isn’t without its strengths. The performances are mostly strong led by Duris who never seems to deliver a bad performance. Here he often puts the film on his back and carries it. We also get some impressive makeup and digital effects, seen mainly in the mutations and in Emile’s gradual transformation. But the movie does start to drag and it could have benefited from having around 20 minutes shaved off. That’s what ultimately drags the film down and keeps it from really resonating the way it intends. “The Animal Kingdom” opens in select theaters and on VOD Friday, March 15th.

VERDICT – 2.5 STARS