The French fantasy drama made quite a splash when it was released in October 2023 and quickly became one of the best films of the year. And for good reason, Animal Kingdom, brilliantly played by Romain Duris, Paul Kircher and Adele Exarchopoulos, is both daring and downright crazy – and all in French, please!
Recall that the film, which won a César and was rated 3.9 out of 5 by AlloCiné viewers, depicts France, where part of the population is exposed to animal mutations. In this new world, where men are gradually transformed into animals, François does everything to save his wife who is affected by this mysterious phenomenon. When the region is populated by a new type of creature, he takes Emil, their 16-year-old son, on a quest that will change their lives forever.
The second work by Thomas Keil, after the highly acclaimed Les Combattants (2014). animal kingdom It hit hard by offering an ambitious and fascinating hybrid tale, between family drama, sci-fi film and fantasy epic, and asking deep questions about the part of animality in humans, transmission and the connection to blood. And the public was fascinated by its special effects and realistic creatures, which made it a stunning, surprising, sometimes funny, but above all an absolute spectacle.
SPOILER ALERT! The rest of this article shows the original and alternate endings of Animal Kingdom.
If you’ve seen the movie, you know that Emily (Paul Kircher) gradually transforms into an animal, just like his mother before him. And while they are being chased by the gendarmerie, François (Romain Duris) makes a heartbreaking decision: he will let his son go to join his mother in the forest. François watches her leave with tears in his eyes.
But do you know its alternate ending? It’s actually a cut sequence that was presented at the Cannes Film Festival and can be found in the film’s DVD bonus. If you want to discover it immediately, go to the end of the article. And if not, here’s a summary of it.
In this case, we’re a year after the original ending, and François goes to the gendarmerie for his trial. With his dog, he then passes by the “intelligent biological reserve”: so it seems that the people who have turned into animals are finally at peace. We even see him in a nature reserve with Naima (Saadiah Bentaib), fondling a male walrus swimming near their boat. We can then see Nina (Billie Blaine) screaming on the outskirts of the preserve, possibly calling out for Emily.
Meanwhile, Julia (Adele Exarchopoulos), who also appears to have been affected, his skin now showing some scales, is on the preserve’s watchtower. A howl and other cries are heard from the forest there. François also heard this scream and smiled: he recognized his son.
It is this ending that we invite you to discover immediately: here are these new (and free) images that completely change the situation…
You can watch the bonus scene here!
Animal Kingdom can still be seen on VOD.
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
