A team-building exercise goes terribly wrong when a cave in traps the staff of an edible cutlery business. With their guide dead and food and water supplies dwindling the team must decide what they are prepared to do to survive.
The film is a very dark comedy in which the office politics of the group is given fresh teeth by their survivalist situation. Cannibalism and murder soon become the conversation points as old grievances surface and fragile alliances are tested. The tone of a dark comedy is a tricky thing to manage. The shocking moments are definitely played for laughs and there’s a lightheartedness that lessens the peril and horror without robbing them of their discomfort. It also has some slightly clumsy and unfortunate references to the likes of Harvey Weinstein in a manner that conforms to the big screen habit of underplaying the significance of sexual harassment against men.
The film is made by its performances. The cast features actors from American comedy shows and everyone is able to create a naturally funny character who works well with the group. Jessica Williams and Karan Soni are particularly good at fleshing out their characters whilst still being funny. Demi Moore is very convincing as the group’s egomaniacal leader.
Corporate animals is a very entertaining dark comedy about corporate identity and survivalism. It trivializes it’s own claustrophobic concept a little too often, but is nevertheless a very funny trip into the uncomfortable.
Four Stars