| The Animal | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Luke Greenfield |
| Screenplay by | Tom Brady Rob Schneider |
| Story by | Tom Brady |
| Produced by | Barry Bernardi Carr D'Angelo Todd Garner |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Peter Lyons Collister |
| Edited by | Jeff Gourson |
| Music by | Teddy Castellucci |
Production |
Columbia Pictures |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
Release date |
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Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $47 million[1] |
| Box office | $84.7 million[1] |
The Animal is a 2001 American science fiction comedy film[2] directed by Luke Greenfield, written by Tom Brady and Rob Schneider from a story conceived by Brady, and produced by Barry Bernardi, Carr D'Angelo, and Todd Garner. It stars Schneider in the lead role, alongside Colleen Haskell, John C. McGinley, Guy Torry, and Edward Asner with supporting roles by Michael Caton and Louis Lombardi. The film depicts a police station evidence clerk who is critically injured and is put back together by a mad scientist who transplants animal parts, resulting in strange animalistic changes to his behavior.
Produced by Adam Sandler's production company Happy Madison Productions in association with Revolution Studios, The Animal was released by Columbia Pictures in the United States on June 6, 2001. The film received negative to mixed reviews.
A sequel is in development that will be released on Tubi.
Marvin Mange is an evidence clerk at the local Elkerton police precinct who dreams of becoming an officer like his late father. However, he repeatedly fails the physical examination. Marvin receives little respect from the populace and is especially tormented by Sergeant Doug Sisk. He is smitten with environmentalist Rianna Holmes but fumbles on a first encounter with her.
While alone at the station, Marvin receives an emergency call; with no officers available, he responds himself. While on the way, he drives off a cliff and is grievously injured. However, he is rescued by Dr. Wilder, a mad scientist, who saves his life by putting assorted animal organ transplants. Days later, Marvin, unaware of what happened, resumes his normal life but discovers that he can now perform extraordinary physical feats and possesses keen animal-like instincts.
While visiting his friend Miles at an airport, Marvin sniffs out and apprehends a man attempting to smuggle drugs in his rectum. The event garners positive media attention and Marvin is promoted to full-fledged police officer assigned under Sisk.
Over several days, Marvin awakens from bouts of sleepwalking, hearing subsequent reports of attacks in the night being attributed to a savage beast. Wilder introduces himself to Marvin, cautioning him of his rising animalistic urges as side-effects of the operation. Despite continued predicaments and embarrassments caused by his instinctual animal behaviors, Marvin's abilities allow him to excel as an officer and bond with Rianna. However, Marvin is questioned after a brutal attack on a cow; a police sketch implicates Marvin as the culprit. Marvin is subsequently placed on leave.
Afraid of what he has become, Marvin barricades himself inside his home. Rianna arrives to comfort Marvin and the two spend the night together. The following morning, the police raid Marvin's home when they suspect him of mauling a hunter. Marvin escapes and flees into the woods. An armed mob headed by Sisk is formed, while Marvin's friends Miles and Fatty seek to warn him. Marvin encounters Wilder who confides the existence of another patient who had undergone the same procedure; he suspects the other patient is the real culprit.
Sisk's lone pursuit of Marvin results in a near-fatal fall into a chasm, but he is saved by the latter. Despite this, Sisk holds Marvin at gunpoint, but he is suddenly killed by Rianna; revealed to be Wilder's other patient. Rianna confesses that she was responsible for the hunter attack, justifying her actions in protecting an orphaned turkey vulture she reared and released back into the wild. The mob arrives, threatening to kill Marvin. Miles makes a false confession to being the beast to protect Marvin and Rianna. Due to the racial implications in prosecuting Miles, a Black American, the mob casually pardons him.
1 year later, Marvin and Rianna have married, starting a family and opening an animal sanctuary. While watching television, they witness Dr. Wilder being awarded the Nobel Prize for his transplantation procedure.
Wes Takahashi, former animator and visual effects supervisor for Industrial Light & Magic, makes a cameo appearance as a news reporter at Chief Wilson's press conference.[3] Fred Stoller also cameos as a news reporter that interviews Marvin about his abilities during Chief Wilson's press conference. Noel Gugliemi cameos as a gang member.
The Animal debuted on June 1, 2001, grossing $19.6 million U.S. in its opening weekend (#3 behind Shrek and Pearl Harbor). With a production budget of $47 million, the movie grossed $84,772,742 internationally.[1]
This film received negative reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a score of 30% based on 83 reviews, with its consensus stating: "While less offensive and more charming than recent gross-humored comedies, The Animal is still rather mediocre".[2] Metacritic gave the film a score of 43% based on reviews from 22 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[4] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B+.[5]
Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "An outrageous and imaginative summer comedy."[6][7][8] Robert Koehler of Variety magazine wrote: "The Animal is never more nor less than stupid, but stupid in ways that deliver goofiness rather than rampant humiliation."[9]
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone described it as "an Adam Sandler reject" and wondered how this "raunchy innuendo wrapped in a PG-13 rating" got past the censors.[10]
Rob Schneider was nominated for a Razzie Award for Worst Actor of the Decade for his performance in the film.[citation needed]
Despite mostly negative critical reaction, at the time of its release film critic David Manning gave the film critical praise. In late 2001, Manning was revealed to be a fictitious character created by Sony to fake publicity for the film. At the time, Sony claimed that the error was due to a layout artist who entered 'dummy text' into print advertisements during their design, which was accidentally never replaced with real text.[11]
In October 2022, it was announced a sequel is in development. In addition to reprising his role from the first film, Rob Schneider will also serve as director and utilize a script that he co-wrote with his wife Patricia Schneider and Jamie Lissow. Schneider will also serve as a producer on the movie alongside Michael McConnell. The project will be a joint-venture production between Content Partners, Revolution Studios, MarVista Entertainment, Zero Gravity Management, and Tubi Original Films. Intended to be released via streaming as an exclusive Tubi movie, the project is near being officially green-lit by the associated film studios. Principal photography commenced in early-2023, with its tentative release which was scheduled for later that year but is currently delayed.[12]
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Films directed by Luke Greenfield
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