MORGAN ■ Stupidus Ex Machina
Sci-fi is a tricky genre to get right, particularly when you’re dealing with the popular theme of what it means to be human. MORGAN attempts to tackle this topic in a way that drifts between unique, familiar and illogical. Like the worst examples of sci-fi movies, MORGAN falls into that difficult-to-forgive trap of character idiocy (from supposedly intelligent characters, too) used to drive the plot forward.
The plot, or at least the premise, of MORGAN is interesting enough. Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) is a risk-management consultant who’s given the unenviable task of appraising whether an artificially created humanoid, Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy), should be terminated after a random outburst of violence. MORGAN starts strong in its opening scenes but then meanders in an attempt to create tension, and the execution comes across as mostly boring.
Supposedly intelligent characters frequently make illogical decisions that create drama that’s more artificial than titular character Morgan. What could have been an interesting exploration of what it means to be human, presented in a thrilling way, descends quickly into questionable character motivations and stilted dialogue.
If you’re looking for a recent exploration of the same theme that’s familiar in tone but superior in execution, check out Alex Garland’s EX MACHINA instead.
