Morgan (2016)

Morgan is the kind of sleek, tightly wound sci-fi thriller that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go, turning a cold corporate decision into something unnervingly human. The film’s greatest weapon is Anya Taylor-Joy, who gives the titular creation an eerie, magnetic presence—both vulnerable and terrifying—making every quiet moment feel charged. Director Luke Scott keeps the vibe stylish and clinical, like a pristine lab where dread seeps in through the seams, while a committed ensemble (including Kate Mara and Paul Giamatti) sells the escalating tension with conviction. If you like your horror more atmospheric than gory and your science fiction laced with moral unease, Morgan is a smart, intense ride—though viewers craving big world-building or warm character intimacy may find it a bit chilly by design.

Morgan is clearly aiming for a sleek, high-stakes “what do we do with a dangerous creation?” sci-fi thriller, with a corporate lens that could’ve made the ethics feel chillingly real. The problem is it plays like a checklist of familiar genre beats, leaning on predictable turns and standard escalation instead of digging into the premise with any real bite. If you’re coming in hoping for the layered tension and character-driven intelligence of something like Ex Machina, you’ll probably find this frustratingly thin and forgettable. That said, it’s competently shot, moves at a brisk pace, and can work as a disposable late-night watch if all you want is a glossy, contained thriller without demanding ideas.