Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington in Netflix's Animals Image via Netflix Add Collider on Google Add as Preferred Source Follow on Google Discover By Rohan Naahar Published Nov 4, 2026, 10:00 PM EST Rohan Naahar is a News Writer for Collider. From Francois Ozon to David Fincher, he'll watch anything once. He has covered everything from Marvel to the Oscars, and Marvel at the Oscars. He also writes obsessively about the box office, charting the many hits and misses that are released weekly, and how their commercial performance shapes public perception. In his time at Collider, he has also helped drive diversity by writing stories about the multiple Indian film industries, with a goal of introducing audiences to a whole new world of cinema.
Generate a summary of this story Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Listen Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap Despite having received the worst reviews of his filmmaking career, Ben Affleck 's new political thriller has emerged as a bona fide hit for Netflix. The streamer is currently undergoing a major change-up behind-the-scenes, but Affleck's film marks a culmination of a new strategy to pivot away from mega-budget tentpoles and focus on mid-budget genre titles.
Over the course of 2026, Netflix has released a string of smaller-scale hits, several of which have hit the coveted 100 million views mark. After having topped the streamer's viewership charts for four weeks in a row, Affleck's new movie is on its way to hitting the milestone as well, despite some less-than-flattering reviews.
The movie in question follows a Los Angeles mayoral candidate who finds himself in a moral dilemma when his son is kidnapped. The film shares the same premise as Akira Kurosawa 's classic drama High and Low , which inspired a Hollywood remake only a few months ago. This time last year, director Spike Lee reunited with Denzel Washington on the Apple TV film Highest 2 Lowest , which received more positive reviews than Affleck's version.
Four Netflix characters, four completely different ways of showing up for somebody. This is the one who fits how you actually do friendship, and what having them in your life would be like.
You do not do friendship at half volume, and neither does he. What you want is somebody who says yes to the plan before you have finished describing the plan.
You are the friend who makes things happen, and so is she. Together you would be mildly exhausting to everyone around you and completely delighted with yourselves.
You have no patience for pleasant lies, and she has no ability to tell them. What looks like coldness from the outside is the most reliable friendship on this list.
You look after whoever is having the worst day. So does he. It is the least strategic way to move through the world and the best possible quality in a friend.
Steven Yeun and Gillian Anderson look so very concerned in Animals Image via Netflix Steven Yeun in Netflix's Animals Image via Netflix Ben Affleck sitting at a desk in Animals Image via Netflix Kerry Washington and Ben Affleck looking very concerned in Netflix's Animals Image via Netflix Kerry Washington and Ben Affleck in Netflix's Animals Image via Netflix Close Steven Yeun and Gillian Anderson look so very concerned in Animals Image via Netflix Steven Yeun in Netflix's Animals Image via Netflix Ben Affleck sitting at a desk in…