Morgan (2016)

2016 R 92 Minutes

A corporate risk-management consultant must determine whether or not to terminate an artificial being's life that was made in a laboratory environment.

Overall Rating

6 / 10

Verdict: Good

User Review

Chris

8 / 10

Morgan (2016) pleasantly surprised me. I hadn't heard great things about the film, but I ended up thoroughly enjoyed it. What drew me to this movie was its cast. Paul Giamatti (Dr. Alan Shapiro) is one of those actors that elevates every film I see him in, and Anya Taylor-Joy (Morgan) is quickly becoming one of my favorite young actresses. Her performances in The Witch, Split, and Morgan are all top-notch, and I can't wait to see what else she does.

"Morgan" starts out as a slow-burn intellectual thriller that focuses on a small group of scientists and contractors who work on a mysterious project called "Morgan" at a secret remote facility in the mountains. About half way through the film, things pick up, and the film turns into more of a suspenseful and intense thriller. I am intentionally light on my details as I feel this is one of those films that is best experienced with knowing little about it.

There is one scene in the movie that I particularly enjoyed, and that was the primarily dialogue driven scene between Morgan and Dr. Alan Shapiro. Heavy dialogue driven scenes can be tough to pull off, but director Luke Scott (son of Ridley Scott) did an outstanding job with this scene, and Taylor-Joy and Giamatti's performances were excellent.

I also wanted to touch on the film's visuals. "Morgan" is shot primarily in Northern Ireland and British Columbia which makes for an incredibly beautiful film. The way the cinematographer, Mark Patten, frames the exterior shots captures the mysterious yet beautiful mountainous woods perfectly. But it isn't just the wilderness shots; I was equally impressed with the set design around the dilapidated house and the concrete facility that Morgan lives in.

All in all, I enjoyed "Morgan." The film has a great balance of slow burn curiosity and intense thriller tones. It features some excellent performances from its cast and beautiful cinematography and set design. I give Morgan (2016) an 8 out of 10.

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