Import Review: When Animals Dream (2015)

Denmark has given us some great entertainment over the past few years.

Excellent TV Series like The Killing (Forbrydelsen), The Bridge (Broen), Those Who Kill (Den Som Draeber), have not only become international hits, but have been remade in various other countries. And of course there are non-Horror shows like Borgen and Klovn, which are both brilliant in their own right.

On the movie front, they've given us gems like Vikaren, Antichrist, and Room 205. Not a prolific list by any stretch, but a solid one for such a small country.


And of course, Denmark has given us Mads Mikkelsen, which is just about the best thing that any country could ever hope to do.

All of that is to say that when we hear of a new movie or show coming out of Denmark, especially when it's surrounded by all kinds of positive buzz, we get excited. When Animals Dream is one such film, and it might just be the best Horror movie to ever come out of Denmark.

Marie is a shy teenager who spends her time helping her Father take care of her wheelchair-bound Mother, whom is always kept heavily sedated for some reason. After a trip to the doctor to find out what the odd rash on her chest is all about, she begins to wonder what in the hell is wrong with her family, and more importantly, her.

"WELL, THAT'S NOT PUBERTY, I'LL TELL YOU THAT."

Things don't any get easier for her when she takes a job at the local fish factory, as her co-workers either stare at her like she's some sort of freak, or try to get in her pants. Or both. As she begins to discover more about her family, and the secrets that they harbor, she realizes that she's becoming a werewolf, that her Father keeps her Mother drugged-up because she already is one, and the whole town pretty much hates them all.

"THEY DON'T LIKE US."

It's not long before the bodies begin to pile up, and everyone in town stops hiding their distaste for Marie and her family... which only causes more bodies to pile up, which really helps no one. This is why tolerance is always the best option, especially when dealing with werewolves that can rip your throat out when you piss them off. 

Such is the life of a teenager from a small fishing village in Denmark, I suppose.

IF THEY WOULD HAVE ONLY LEFT HER ALONE...

When Animals Dream is an exceptionally well-made movie that puts a quiet twist on the Werewolf sub-genre, which was nice to see. Truly great "Were" movies aren't exactly a common thing, you know. This is also a quiet little Thriller that benefits greatly from its gorgeous Danish locale. It really is the perfect setting for such a moody and somber story.

WE'D GLADLY LIVE IN DENMARK, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE WEREWOLF PROBLEM.

At times, it plays more like an Indie coming-of-age movie than it does true Horror, with Marie wanting to escape her small Danish town and her parents, more than anything else. Like most teenage girls, she has to deal with her changing body, and everything that comes along with it, and the fact that the changes that she's going through involve her inherited lycanthropy only serves to make things worse for the poor girl.

When the Horror does hit though, it's pretty effective. It's never overtly gory or violent, but it's intense enough to make you hold your breath a bit in anticipation. And it does have its bloody moments.

SHE'S GOING THROUGH CHANGES.

Sonia Suhl did a great job playing Marie, especially considering that this was the first time that she's ever stepped before the camera, and Denmark should just go ahead and declare Lars Mikkelsen (brother of Mads) a national treasure already. He's been great in everything that we've seen him in, and it really sucks that he hasn't gained the international acclaim that his baby brother has, as he's equally deserving.

THOSE EYES HAVE SEEN SOME THINGS...

It may be more of a movie for more high-brow tastes, but don't let that dissuade you from checking it out, as When Animals Dream is a solid effort that should please most Horror fans.The fact that it runs a bit deeper than most movies of its kind is really a good thing, as there are already plenty of blood-and-guts werewolf movies out there, and most of them tend to suck.

B+

Already out on Blu-ray & DVD in a few different countries (Australia and Germany), and set to hit the UK on June 1st, When Animals Dream will also be at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19th... so if you want to see this movie, then either head on over to Cannes, or Import the disc. Either way, it's definitely worth it.

Sonia Suhl and Sonja Richter make for a pretty mother-daughter duo.