Sitting somewhere comfortably between a Shakespearean romantic tragedy and the dark, twisted and (most importantly) slick world we’ve come to know in films such as Donnie Darko and A Single Man; Animals is a funny but ultimately dark tale of a young adolescent suffering with identity problems.
Pol (Oriol Pla) is 17 years and just like other 17 year olds – he socializes smokes and plays music. He also has an imaginary friend – Deerfoot, a walking, talking teddy bear. One of the most enjoyable elements about Animals is the choice of the Director, Marçal Forés, to not hide back about the reality of Deerfoot. There is neither a mythological nor fantastical explanation for the reason behind his existence; he is merely the product of the imagination of a disillusioned and troubled young man.
Representing both innocence and youth, and alluding to a missing childhood, Deerfoot is at the same time rejected and absolutely needed by Pol. He continues to cling on the bear (and his missing childhood) physically and literally during the film. One of the most poignant moments of the film is Pol’s first rejection of Deerfoot in the opening half of the film and the subsequent moments where Deerfoot gets back up to comfort an emotionally charged Pol, who eventually accepts him again by clutching him as he sleeps, refusing to relinquish him.
With no mention of parents throughout the film, Pol lives at home with his older brother. After discovering his secret fantastical world, his brother forces him to grow up by burying Deerfoot; Pol’s life transcends into a blurry mess somewhere between real life and his imaginative world. Embarking on a journey of sexual discovery only leads him to a confusing encounter with Ikari (Augustus Prew), a newcomer to school with a penchant for self-harming. Stuck between conflicting desires for Ikari and his best friend Laia, Pol drives himself further into an identity crisis.
Pol (Orial Pla) with Deerfoot
Despite being screened at the 27th BFI London Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Animals is more a film that happens to have a gay character rather than a gay focused film. The relationship between Pol and Ikari is intriguing, particular the way in which Pol is sexually drawn to Ikari but the dark mystique around him. Nonetheless sexuality plays a secondary role in the film, and it could be argued that it is used as more of a catalyst to show confusion, angst and loneliness.
The relationship between Pol and Ikari is undoubtedly interesting, particularly the way in which Pol continues to be drawn to Ikari and his dark aura. However, it nonetheless plays a secondary role in the film to the more important character narrative of Pol. It could be argued in fact that sexuality is used in this film as more of a catalyst in showing the character’s confusion, angst and loneliness.
Beautifully shot with stunning cinematography, the audience are easily drawn in to Forés’ world and Pol’s imagination – this is also partially due the soundtrack which compliments the film and adds to the increasing tension throughout the later stages of the film. However this is the part where the narrative becomes slightly hazy and the story evolves into a bizarre territory of a school shooting (later to be discovered to be a hoax). Clearly taking inspiration from suspense-master Gus Van Sant and most notably his 2003 cult film ‘Elephant’, Forés builds up tension and suspense well here. Despite this, it regrettably feels quite out of place with both the protagonist Pol’s story and eventual climax.
Ultimately Animals is an interesting concept and certainly worth a watch if you allow yourself to forgive a occasional disjointed narrative and a potentially dodgy casting. Animals thrives in the imagination and dream-like elements of Pol and his relationships; unfortunately you are often quickly bought back out of by the strange casting of Martin Freeman as their English Teacher. This seems more of an unnecessary ploy to target the Anglophonic market rather than an ingenious idea from their Casting Director.
Cinematic Focus 