Review of Morgan (2016) by Junelkean — 18 Jan 2018

The Singularity is near, especially after "Big Hero 6", "Transcendence" and "Ex Machina". And this brings us to "Morgan". It tells the tale of Lee Weathers (Mara), a corporate fixer who is sent to investigate an A.I. - Morgan (Taylor-Joy) - after a violent incident at the research facility she lives in.

It's fair to say that Ridley Scott is considered to be a brain in combining sci-fi and horror movies, as what he has shown in his previous works like "Blade Runner" and "The Alien Franchise". So, it's no surprise that his son, Luke Scott, would follow his father's footsteps and make his directorial debut within his father's "territorial genre.”.

Morgan is not your ordinary sci-fi film. At first, it is a slow-paced cerebral sci-fi flick, but soon, it turns into a riveting mini action-thriller. "The Witch's" Taylor-Joy continues to prove that she is a new name to look out for. Her presence brings life to a lifeless figure in the film. It is also shot and edited well. Of course, there are some touches of his father's technique, but Scott manages to establish his own sense of style.

However, the movie's biggest flaw is in not offering well-rounded side characters. Sure, the arcs of Morgan and Lee are strongly-detailed, but the supporting roles are nowhere near found as engaging, due to limited screen time and lack of interest.

VERDICT: After a streak of A.I. movies, Morgan is not as great as Ex Machina, but not as bad as other sci-fi trashes.