Animus

Jamie Murray’s short Animus uses an original psychological framing to test the boundaries

of morality between doctor and patient. It’s a fine example of how to raise tension and leave

audiences on edge.

Imprisoned in a facility after committing a violent assault, a mysterious, animalistic man

(Fenn Leon) is interviewed by a clinical psychologist (Chris Hardy) who tries to identify the

cause of his threatening nature. Over the course of a tense interview, the psychologist’s

perspective on the world is warped by his patient’s – and his outlook on man and nature

reverts to a state of nature that both men find some sense of common ground on.

Animus engages its audience in a thought-provoking moral battle between its two subjects

that is enlivened brilliantly by the talents of filmmaker Jamie Murray. Set on a shadowy

psych-ward and interspersed with archival footage of animal behaviour and AI animated

transfigurations of animal evolution, the battle of wills between Fenn Leon’s Animal patient

and Chris Hardy’s doctor feels so much more pivotal than a basic evaluation. In this near-

futuristic world, Murray creates a sense that mankind’s very nature is on the line. The

gripping perspectives we are given of the two men will leave viewers feeling the same sense

of growing danger that the Doctor does in the room, until he himself feels no choice but to

lash out – much like the cornered animal both character and audience have become.

Fenn Leon convinces as the ‘Animal’, a brutal and unpredictable antagonist but one who is

able to convey a twisted view of the world through his perspective on animal behaviours. His

worldview is explored patiently, and whilst the character themselves has a sense of threat

and danger from the beginning due to the framing of Murray, Leon’s performance walks a

delicate line that means the Doctor’s engagement with him never feels unfathomable. Chris

Hardy’s showing as the patient and understanding doctor is another successful casting – the

moment in the film where viewers sense his loss of control over proceedings is brilliantly

subtle on the actor’s behalf. His own loss of control however does feel a little sudden and

unnatural (and not in a good way).

The film controversially uses generative AI in cutaways that show animated animal evolution,

such as moments where dogs evolve into wolves or apes into humans. The use in the film is

effective and does help invigorate the moral conflict and visualise the ‘animal’ argument. But

whether this is worth the cost of the use against the impact the technology has on the film

industry as a whole is ultimately one for the viewer to decide. The film’s strengths are not

dependant on the technology by any means, and one may have sympathy with the

filmmaker’s argument that it is the only method that could allow for the exploration of some

of the film’s themes visually within the budget available. But others will see its involvement

as a worrying inclusion that ultimately means an artist somewhere has lost work. And

ultimately all creators are part of a food chain that has AI at the top – something a film with

the themes Animus has should understand.

Aside from its AI usage that is down to the audience to come to their own conclusion on,

Animus is an intriguing and original work that explores interesting moral space. Murray’s

ability to keep viewers on edge is its biggest strength, and this old-fashioned character

development and visual storytelling should be celebrated.