Ben Affleck's New Thriller Is Officially the Worst-Reviewed Movie of His Career

While his acting career has had its share of peaks and troughs, Ben Affleck's directorial career has been rather solid. Four of the six features that he has directed so far have been "Certified Fresh" on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with the espionage caper Argo winning him a coveted Best Picture Academy Award. More recently, Affleck has shifted his focus to the streaming industry, having helmed the acclaimed sports drama film Air. His latest feature is the political thriller, which was released on Netflix on October 9. Unfortunately, the movie has emerged as only the second movie of Affleck's directorial career to receive unfavorable reviews from critics, and is now his lowest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes.

Starring Affleck himself, Animals also features Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, Gillian Anderson, and Ray Fisher. The movie is inspired by Akira Kurosawa's High and Low, which was recently remade by Spike Lee only a year ago. Lee's film, Highest 2 Lowest, starred Denzel Washington and Jeffrey Wright, and was released to critical acclaim on Apple TV following a limited theatrical run. While Lee's film holds a "Certified Fresh" 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Animals is currently sitting at a 33% score on the aggregator. In his review, Collider's Robert Brian Taylor wrote that "Affleck is unable to weave the movie's various mission statements together in a way that proves compelling."

Here's Where 'Animals' Stands in Ben Affleck's Filmography

Movies Directed by Ben Affleck

Critics' Score on Rotten Tomatoes

Argo

96%

Gone Baby Gone

94%

Air

93%

The Town

92%

Live By Night

34%

Animals

33%

The movie's 33% score on Rotten Tomatoes is only marginally lower than his 2016 gangster drama Live By Night's 34% score. Affleck's four other features have all been widely acclaimed. Air holds a "Certified Fresh" 93% critics' score and a "Verified Hot" 97% audience score on the aggregator, while Argo holds a "Certified Fresh" 96% critics' score and a 90% audience score; The Town is sitting at a "Certified Fresh" 92% critics' score and an 85% audience score; and his debut feature, Gone Baby Gone, now holds a "Certified Fresh" 94% critics' score and an 86% audience score. Affleck served as an actor and producer on his other Netflix release of 2026, The Rip, which emerged as a massive hit for the streamer.