The horror film Primate has once again shown that, when pitted against other animals, humans are incredibly weak. In the film, a pet chimpanzee gets infected with rabies and then goes on a bloody killing spree. The movie is so horrifying because there have been numerous high-profile chimp attacks against humans that show just how powerful and ruthless they can be (and trust me, you don’t even want to know how horrendous chimps can be to each other.)
But perhaps that’s why animal horror films are so captivating. It’s that deep-rooted fear of knowing that most animals are more powerful than us, and that as much as we like to believe we’re the apex species on this planet, physically, we just aren't. If Primate got your blood pumping, check out the list below to discover more seriously crazy animal attacks in movies. Plus, find out where they’re all streaming right now.
Samuel L. Jackson Gets Eaten By A Shark In 'Deep Blue Sea'
For years, I have preached the gospel of Deep Blue Sea (1999) and evangelized its greatness to whoever will listen. The movie is set in an oceanic research facility where a team of scientists have increased the brain size (and the physical size) of mako sharks, hoping that it could have massive benefits in the medical industry. But the sharks want freedom and go on a terrorizing killing spree.
One of the most memorable scenes in the film is when poor Samuel L. Jackson is standing next to the underwater wet dock, giving an impassioned speech about survival and not giving up. Unfortunately for him, one of the giant makos bursts up through the wet dock, grabs Jackson, and then drags him down into the ocean. The scene is so wild partly because of how terribly bad it is. It’s some of the worst CGI in the entire film, and the vibe is just soooo off from the rest of the movie that it feels comical.
Deep Blue Sea came out decades before camp was widely understood and utilized by Hollywood, so it’s kinda hard to know if this scene was supposed to be ridiculous and crazy, or if the filmmakers actually thought they had created something really cool. Either way, the scene has aged very well and is now a wildly fun, laugh-out-loud moment. If you love shark movies like Jaws (1975), check this one out.
The Opening Scene of 'Jaws' That Drove Audiences Wild
Speaking of Jaws, it naturally holds a spot on this list, and honestly could hold multiple because every single shark attack in the movie is insanely good. If you’re my age and grew up in a world where Jaws always existed and was already iconic, the opening scene might seem tame compared to the rest of the movie. But for older viewers who saw the movie in theaters, the opening remains burned into their minds as one of the scariest scenes ever.
In the opening scene, a young girl named Chrissie (Susan Backlinie) goes skinny dipping with her boyfriend at sunset. A few seconds later, audiences see her being viciously dragged through the water before being pulled under. The shark is never seen. But Jaws was the first real shark movie, and audiences had no reference for what exactly a killer shark movie was like. That scene set the tone for the movie, scared the pants off everyone in theaters, and let audiences know they were watching a type of film that had never been seen before.
Jon Voight Gets Regurgitated In 'Anaconda'
Fun fact: When snakes are stressed or put into fight-or-flight situations, they regurgitate their food. In Anaconda (1997), a doomed Amazonian river expedition finds two giant, man-eating anacondas and are forced to fight for their lives. Starring everyone from JLo to Ice Cube to Owen Wilson, the cast was a hodgepodge of people who had no business being in a film together.
Jon Voight also stars in the movie as a slimy grifter who attempts to use the other boat passengers as bait for the giant snakes. But then he gets eaten instead. Even worse, in the finale, as the anaconda tries to kill Ice and JLo, the snake regenerates Jon Voight whole…while he’s still alive!
The idea of being alive inside a snake, slowly suffocating to death as its acidic digestive bile eats away at you has forever caused me nightmares. Hopefully, you’ll watch the movie too and be scarred for life just like me! If you like giant animal horror movies from the ‘90s, like Lake Placid (1999), Anaconda is a must-watch.
The Chimp Goes Wild In 'Nope'
Fans of Primate will definitely want to check out Jordan Peele’s Nope (2022). The movie is a little hard to explain, but it centers around a group at a rural farmhouse, and there’s a traveling rodeo show nearby, and also a giant alien that’s kind of like a flying, bloodthirsty pillowcase. Anyway, one of the movie’s themes is humanity thinking it can tame wild animals, even though it never truly can.
This is showcased heavily in a flashback scene of a sitcom gone wrong. The fictional show starred the chimp Gordy, who goes on a total rampage, leaving behind absolute carnage. For many viewers, the scene remains a visceral and terrifying moment, even rivaling the scenes with the giant alien. Nope is sort of like a mainstream experimental horror movie. It has a lot to say, but often in subtle ways. If you loved Peele’s Get Out (2016) but want it with some twisty, nuanced David Lynch vibes, like Twin Peaks (1990-2017), this is the film for you.
Literally Every Shark Scene In 'The Last Shark'
1981’s The Last Shark (aka Great White in some countries) is an Italian rip-off of Jaws that’s so bad you can’t look away from it. And trust me, you won’t want to because this movie has everything from a stiff, bloated, malfunctioning animatronic shark to numerous (yes, numerous) scenes where humans are replaced by incredibly fake-looking dummies that are blown up, ripped to shreds, and dragged through the ocean by cinema’s worst shark ever.
But you know what’s even worse? I’d take this junky, clunky animatronic shark over CGI any day. There’s just something about a real, tangible object that’s more fun. Even if it’s total junk and can hardly move, it’s still so much better than CGI. Watching a CGI shark jump up and destroy a helicopter is dull. But watching some feral shark animatronic made from scrapyard parts do it is actually some A+ entertainment. Sure, it’s really bad, but also really fun. If you love the trashy, guilty pleasures of Jaws: The Revenge (1987), this is the shark movie for you.
Dragged Into The Night By Lions In 'The Ghost And The Darkness'
The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) stars Michael Douglas and Val Kilmeris and is based on the shocking true story of the Tsavo Man-Eaters. In 1898, while the British were building a railroad through Kenya, two male lions worked as a team and killed dozens of workers. They began by killing men who wandered off, but slowly grew braver, eventually sneaking into camps during the night and dragging men straight from their tents and into the savanna.
The most frightening scene is the first time the lions come into camp. One of the workers wakes up as he feels a tug, and is then dragged out of the tent and into darkness, where he’s eaten alive. The scene is even more shocking since, while watching it, you know all this really happened. If you liked the Idris Alba lion film Beast (2022), you’ll want to check out The Ghost and the Darkness. Also, if you ever find yourself in the Chicago area, the two actual lions have been taxidermied and are on display at the Field Museum.
Leo And The Bear In 'The Revenant'
2015’s The Revenant scored five Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and took home numerous wins, including Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio. The film centers around the real frontiersman Hugh Glass, who was mauled by a bear and abandoned by his hunting party and left to die.
The Revenant is loosely based on his true life story-Glass was a real person who was attacked by a bear and left to die, and he really did have complicated relationships with the men who left him in the woods after he returned to society. But the film plays out more like a Quentin Tarantino movie and depicts a bitter story of violence and revenge.
But the wildest, most iconic scene in the movie is the bear attack itself. It’s so brutal and so real that it’s almost hard to watch. It’s shocking to see the reality of nature, and to see just how effortlessly a bear can rip a person to shreds. It forces us to confront humanity’s weaknesses; our pale, flabby skin has no defenses when paired against real apex predators. We are simply at the mercy of luck. If you love gripping true survival films like Everest (2015) or 127 Hours (2010), you’ll absolutely love The Revenant.
Tippi Hedren Trapped In The Telephone Booth In 'The Birds'
One of the craziest, most iconic scenes in Hollywood history is from Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963). In the film, the small town of Bodega Bay is overtaken by murderous seagulls. While the premise is somewhat stupid, it was a groundbreaking film at the time, being one of the first films to really show nature and animals fighting back against humans.
One of the most chaotic and memorable scenes of the entire movie is when the gulls launch a full-on attack, setting a gas station on fire, causing a horse-drawn carriage to tip, cars to crash, and one unlucky man to be pecked to death. Tippi Hedren seeks shelter in a telephone booth and helplessly watches the madness all around her.
The scene is wild for numerous reasons: its cultural impact at the time, the absurdity of the entire ordeal, and the wonderfully dated filming techniques involving layers of superimposed images. Yeah, it looks funny now, but its cultural significance can’t be overlooked. If you love schlocky but iconic old movies like Forbidden Planet (1956), or nature revenge films like The Happening (2008), why not give this Hitchcock favorite a shot?
