Ben Affleck’s new crime thriller “Animals” is now streaming and showing no signs of relinquishing the global No. 1 spot any time soon. As I said in my “Animals” review, it’s a serviceable crime thriller, but lacks the memorable moments and bite of the genre’s best.
If you’ve already streamed “Animals” and are looking for your next thrilling watch, then I can help. Below I’ve collected five similar movies (similarities include the talent, plot or setting) that should be on your watchlist. More importantly, each of these movies does many of the same things as “Animals,” but in far superior ways.
So whether you enjoyed “Animals” or found it to be yet another Netflix original disappointment, these are the five movies you need to watch next, and I’ve also included where you can stream them right now to save you time having to scroll through libraries.
‘Gone Baby Gone’ (2007)
“Animals” marks Ben Affleck’s sixth movie as a director, but flash back to 2007, and he was making his directorial debut with “Gone Baby Gone.” A twisting crime thriller that is arguably still his strongest effort to date. Affleck opted not to star in this movie so he could focus on his work behind the camera. However, the movie’s a family affair with Ben’s brother, Casey Affleck, an Oscar winner, playing the lead role of a private detective on the streets of Boston.
When a 4-year-old child is abducted, private investigator Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) and his partner, Angie (Michelle Monaghan), are on the case. The police believe the case has gone cold after the young girl has been missing for 72 hours. However, Patrick knows the city streets and its seedy underbelly better than anybody. He’s determined to reunite mother and daughter, but as he gets close to the truth, he uncovers something shocking.
Watch“Gone Baby Gone” on Paramount+now
‘Prisoners’ (2013)
“Animals” is a movie about a desperate father navigating a kidnapping situation, exposing darker sides of his character in the process. It’s by no means the first thriller to tackle this subject matter. 2013’s “Prisoners” covers very similar ground. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, it’s one of the best crime thriller movies of the 21st century, with incredible performances, writing, pacing and Oscar-nominated cinematography from the one and only Roger Deakins.
When Keller Dover’s (Hugh Jackman) young daughter and her friend are kidnapped in broad daylight, he becomes increasingly frustrated at the authorities’ inability to locate the missing girls. Against the warnings of police detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), he takes the matter into his own hands, willing to lose his humanity in an effort to find his daughter. Also starring Viola Davis, Paul Dano and Terrence Howard, “Prisoners” is an intense, brooding watch.
Watch“Prisoners” on Prime Video (buy/rent)now
‘The Disappearance of Alice Creed’ (2009)
In “Animals,” viewers are never shown the kidnapping occurring, nor do we follow the events from the victim’s perspective. That’s not the case in “The Disappearance of Alice Creed,” a small-scale British crime thriller in which the kidnappee (is that a word?) takes center stage. It’s an exercise in doing a great deal with few resources; there are just three actors in this movie, and the thriller wrings every ounce of drama and suspense from its modest setup.
The eponymous Alice Creed (Gemma Arterton) is the only child of a wealthy family, which unfortunately makes her a target. Taken by two men, Vic (Eddie Marsan) and Danny (Martin Compston), the criminals plan to ransom Alice for a significant sum of money. However, their plan certainly doesn’t go off without a hitch. In this twist-fueled movie, it quickly becomes difficult to know where each character’s loyalties lie, as it’s revealed that not all is what it seems.
Watch“The Disappearance of Alice Creed” on Starznow
‘The Rip’ (2026)
“Animals” marked Ben Affleck’s second Netflix original movie of 2026; the first came in January, and even all these many months later, I still rank “The Rip” as the streamer’s best new movie of the year. Granted, it’s not flawless, and its lofty position perhaps speaks more to weak competition, but “The Rip” is still an enjoyable popcorn movie, even if the subtler first half is a lot more engaging than the final portion, which veers into generic action.
Set in Miami, it follows a squad of narcotics officers who find a stash of cartel money, totalling several million dollars, in a derelict house. The team’s captain (Matt Damon) breaks protocol by not calling in the find. This leads to increasing suspicions as each member of the squad starts to wonder if their colleagues are eyeing up the cash for themselves. The movie is Damon and Affleck’s first on-screen collaboration in three years, and is a rip-roaring ride.
‘Heat’ (1995)
The city of Los Angeles plays a major role in “Animals.” Ben Affleck’s Mark Kimbell is running for mayor, and the grand finale takes place on L.A.’s iconic waterway. “Heat” is another crime thriller in which the City of Angels plays a very prominent role. It’s also considered one of the most influential crime flicks ever made, and with a sequel in development (starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale), now is a great time to stream it. So, it’s very fortunate timing that “Heat” was added to Netflix’s library earlier this week.
Directed by Michael Mann and with an almost three-hour runtime, “Heat” centers on master criminal Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), who’s in the twilight of his career. He’s planning one last major heist before walking off into the sunset to spend his ill-gotten gains. But between his unpredictable crew, including Van Kilmer’s Chris Shiherlis, and a driven police detective (Al Pacino) closely on his tail, getting away scot-free might not be so simple.
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