Release Date: Sept. 2
Production Company: Scott Free Productions
Duration: 92 minutes
Grade: B-
“Morgan,” a science fiction thriller about an artificially engineered girl, boasts interesting and unique story ideas, but predictable plot twists and unresolved stories make it a disappointing film.
Tucked away in a facility hidden in the mountains lives a team of scientists and a little girl they have created named Morgan. After an incident where Morgan becomes violent, a risk management specialist from the corporate office is sent to assess the situation. The specialist, played by Kate Mara, must make the decision of whether to terminate Morgan or keep her alive based on her potential value.
Superhuman little girls fight the stereotypes that usually follow young female characters. The theme is one we’ve seen before in movies such as “Hanna” and TV shows such as “Stranger Things," and “Morgan” is very similar to those stories. The movie really makes you think about the risks involved with artificial intelligence. Throughout the entire movie, the scientists refer to Morgan as a "she," giving her human attributes, but the plot makes it clear that Morgan is far from human.
Overall, "Morgan" was a bit of a disappointment. Despite having a very interesting view on artificial intelligence, the final plot twist was fairly predictable and, if expanded upon, would have made the story as a whole much more enticing. There was also a romantic buildup involving the main character that is only barely resolved. Some of the characters lacked basic characterization and seemed positively pointless.
The movie left me with more questions than I came in with. It is advertised as being a thriller movie, but it isn’t very thrilling. Despite the flaws in the plot, it is entertaining enough to keep your attention and get you thinking about the future of artificial intelligence.
If you like high-action scenes and the idea of humanoid intelligence, this movie is definitely one you should check out, but I’d suggest waiting until you can rent it through iTunes or Amazon.