In a surprising twist, Ben Affleck's latest directorial effort, Animals, has become a streaming sensation on Netflix, crossing the 50 million views mark in just two weeks. The crime thriller, which also stars Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Steven Yeun, and others, has defied expectations and poor reviews to become one of the platform's biggest hits of the year.
The success comes at a turbulent time for Netflix, which recently laid off hundreds of employees, including top executives. Despite the internal upheaval, Animals has proven that the streamer's new strategy of focusing on mid-budget genre films is paying off—even if the architects of that plan are no longer with the company.
A Year of Streaming Wins
Netflix's 2026 began with another Affleck-led crime thriller, The Rip, which also starred Matt Damon and was the first of several originals to cross the 100 million views threshold. That film set the stage for a string of successes, including Thrash, Apex, Swapped, and War Machine, the latter starring Alan Ritchson and amassing over 150 million views. More recently, The Last House and The Whisper Man have also performed well, with 90 million and 80 million views respectively.
This run of hits has solidified Netflix's pivot away from mega-budget tentpoles toward more modestly priced genre fare—a move that has clearly resonated with audiences, even if critics aren't always on board.
Critics vs. Audiences
Despite its commercial success, Animals has received the worst reviews of Affleck's directing career. With a 32% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has been criticized for weak writing, though Kerry Washington's performance has been praised. The consensus reads: "Despite all the makings of an enticing story, including a compelling Kerry Washington, Animals’ weak writing prevents it from reaching its full potential."
Yet audiences seem to disagree. In its second week, the film saw a 30 million view increase, bringing its total to over 50 million, and it topped the charts both weeks. This disconnect between critics and viewers is a recurring theme in the streaming era, where word-of-mouth and convenience often trump critical acclaim.
For fans of Affleck's work, this is a fascinating turn. His previous directorial efforts—Gone Baby Gone, The Town, Argo, and Live by Night—were all Certified Fresh, making Animals a notable outlier. But as sleeper hits have shown, sometimes the audience knows best.
If you're in the mood for more psychological thrillers, check out our list of must-watch picks on Netflix. And for those who appreciate shows that get better with each rewatch, we've ranked the top rewatchable series on the platform.
Animals is now streaming on Netflix. Whether you're a fan of Affleck or just curious about the hype, it's worth a watch—even if the critics say otherwise.
