Starring
Kate Mara, Anya Taylor-Joy, Toby Jones, Rose Leslie, Michelle Yeoh,
Boyd Holbrook, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Giamatti, Brian Cox.
Directed by Luke Scott. (2016, 92 min).
The
title character in Morgan is an artificially created young woman
raised in a remote lab in the woods.
Though she's only been alive for five years, her growth rate and
intelligence has been significantly enhanced. The company behind the
project has big plans for her, but after Morgan attacks a member of
the team that created her, they send Lee Weathers (Kate Mara), a risk-assessment
specialist, to determine whether or not they should pull the plug on
the whole thing. Of course, Morgan is just getting started...otherwise, no movie.
Yet
another film which warns us the the consequences of genetic
tampering, Morgan sort-of plays like a brooding variation of Species.
Only instead of hot & horny Natasha Henstridge mating &
killing her way through Los Angeles, our monster resembles the kind of hooded, emo
teenager you might see slumped in the back of a high school
classroom with photos of Black Veil Brides plastered all over her binder.
It must be said, though, that Anya Taylor-Joy is quietly unnerving - and surprisingly sympathetic - in
the role. We always feel like she could go postal at any second with little provocation, providing much of the film's tension.
 |
| Peanut butter and jelly can be a messy affair. |
Morgan is a smarter movie than Species, though not nearly as much goofy
fun, taking the premise far more seriously than it should. After a
gonzo opening scene that promises a messy good time, the characters
(none of whom are as interesting as Morgan herself) do a lot of
talking and arguing before anything really exciting happens. Not only
that, Mara's icy performance essentially gives away the big final plot
twist the film has worked so hard to set up.
Still,
while ultimately predictable, Morgan has enough moments to make it
worth checking out. Paul Giamatti's glorified cameo as a hateful
psychologist livens things up considerably and there are a few nifty
death scenes. Director Luke Scott (Ridley's son) does an decent job
in his feature film debut, showing some admirable restraint in resisting the urge to turn Morgan into an over-the-top spectacle.
Perhaps
too much restraint in the end. During the final act, Morgan fizzles out
just when it should be gaining momentum. Instead of a whiz-bang climax as a
reward for the sporadically-interesting first hour, it devolves into
a relatively routine chase and unsatisfactory coda that most viewers
will see coming a mile away. Had they tried to have a bit more fun
with the material, Morgan could have been a lively good time. As it
is, the film is watchable, but probably nothing most would feel
compelled to revisit that often.
EXTRA
KIBBLES:
FEATURETTE:
“Modified Organism: The Science Behind Morgan”
AUDIO
COMMENTARY (by Luke Scott)
“LOOM”
- A 20 minute sci-fi short by Luke Scott, starring Giovanni Ribisi
(with optional commentary), which is arguably better than the feature
film itself
DELETED
SCENES
GALLERY
DVD
& DIGITAL COPIES
KITTY CONSENSUS:
NOT BAD...LIKE CAT CHOW
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