Immediate Thoughts on the Movie "Hayop Ka" (You Animal) on Netflix.
Overall Impression I did not like it. While I loved the animation and found some of the dialogue funny, the story is cliché. “Hayop Ka,” directed by Avid Liongoren and produced by Rocketsheep Studio and Spring Films, unfolds like an overdone romantic-comedy/dramedy reminiscent of 80s–early 2000s Philippine cinema. The film features a toxic love triangle involving our dissatisfied, working-class protagonist Nympha (a common, but sexy, street cat), her macho mongrel boyfriend Roger (a janitor), and the high-society charmer Iñigo Villanueva (drawn as a Siberian Husky, perhaps to emphasize his foreign lineage).
Plot and Themes The basic premise: perfume-selling kitty Nimfa Dimaano must choose between her macho boyfriend Roger and the bourgeoisie business dog Iñigo. It immediately struck me as being overdone, overcooked, and overused, echoing the same tired narratives I’ve seen since childhood. Although the modern animation helped update the presentation and may have saved it from harsh reviews on Google and Rotten Tomatoes, I’m still unclear about the film’s deeper message. It appears to be a satirical portrayal of modern Philippine society, highlighting how the working class navigates poverty and oppression while clinging to dreams—often through the mundane rituals of sex and beef stew—all wrapped in a cartoonish, 90s movie vibe. Ultimately, the film leaves me wondering: are we all just animals acting on base instinct and primal desire, or are we depicted as such because we’re all fundamentally flawed? Or is it just a movie for horny adults with nothing much to do on a Saturday?
Humor and Sexuality The humor was somewhat entertaining, and I did chuckle at the sex jokes throughout the movie, especially during the pivotal shower scene where Nympha and Iñigo gave in to desire, even shouting lists of food items to replace their body parts. The thing is, the film relies heavily on dirty jokes and sexual innuendos. I’m glad there was at least some plot to keep it from becoming merely an adult, lewd spectacle. It’s clear that the film intends to showcase the evolving, open-minded sexuality of Pinoys.
Characters and Their Arcs Every major character is driven by desire, whether personal or carnal, from the protagonist to the aristocratic villains. While I appreciate their flaws, I wish the story made them more sympathetic and three-dimensional. Unfortunately, the moments meant to add depth instead lean on outdated, overused tropes.
For example, Nympha is depicted as a common street cat struggling to provide for her family back in the province. She is caring for her sibling and aging mother, while her little sister is pregnant at a young age. This portrayal left a bitter aftertaste, with the only redeeming factor being the stunning animation and art style. In the end, she becomes pregnant with Roger's baby and decides to go through the pregnancy without his support.
I also expected Nympha to rise above her station as she faced consequences—to learn her lesson, stand strong, and either find a man worthy of her or become an independent, badass woman. Instead, the ending credits hint at her pairing with a simple, ugly frog named Jerry, whom she met earlier as Inigo's chauffeur. Granted, Jerry is much nicer than both male leads: he is honest and hardworking, qualities that far surpass those of Inigo and Roger. Meanwhile, Roger ends up living with her ex-best friend, Jhermelyn, (more on her later), happily dodging child support, and Iñigo, despite being comically launched from his office building when he proposed a throuple with Nympha and another upper-class girl, remains a rich, charming asshole who scoffs at the poor.
Nympha’s ex-best friend, Jhermelyn—a rabbit who openly displayed her desire for Roger early on—settles for being a backup option for Roger when he and Nympha break up, and is unashamed when Nympha discovers their relationship when she seeks her comfort in tough times.
In the end, both Nympha and her early-pregnant sister seem to perpetuate the cycle of poverty. While one might imagine that Nympha ending up with Jerry could signal a healthy, stable relationship, it instead feels like a rushed nod to the classic Pinoy humor trope of the beautiful girl falling for the ugly guy, with no real development or romance established beyond him simply being present at their usual beef stew shop.
As for Inigo Villanueva, his subplot deserved more exploration. Scenes hint at his impatience with common people and his willingness to trample over them—taking their land for building projects, for example. I wish he had experienced a fall from grace, had his ego been knocked down, or even learned from his misdeeds. Instead, his fate was played purely for laughs.
A brief scene that stuck with me was when Nympha called the radio DJ near the end. The DJ tore into her character, voicing exactly what the audience would have shouted. It reminded me of those late-night college calls to radio hosts for advice. Missed the way they cut through all the caller's bullshit and called out their lies.
Voice Acting I did not like Angelica Pangilinan’s voice as Nympha, though her personality and quirky edge did shine through at times. On the other hand, I appreciated Robin Padilla as Roger, whose rough, deep-voiced bad boy persona fit perfectly. Sam Milby also delivered a fitting performance as Iñigo, embodying the super-rich, playboy archetype.
Conclusion In summary, while the animation and art style were commendable, the clichéd plot, overused tropes, and unsatisfying character arcs left me disappointed. I know I'd like to add more. But work and coffee calls.
