Morgan (2016), R, ★1/2

Ex Machina 2: The Machine Strikes Back Again.

Artificial intelligence androids and robots could potentially threaten our existence as we become more reliant on technology and then we expand to create human beings. We explored that last year with one of the best movies of the year, Ex Machina. That movie was an exploration about the experiment regarding sexuality between human and robot. What could cause an attraction between them? However, this latest sci-fi film does not explore anything deep regarding the psychological traits of an android. The movie is a mystery sci-fi thriller regarding a seemingly "human" robot triggering an attack against another human and they investigate where the experiment went wrong. The movie boasts a strong cast but the product overall does not present a satisfying result with an Alien type of story. I wonder why the director set up the movie like that.

Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy) is an artificially intelligent creation that is seemingly human that grows rapidly with strength and agility. She becomes "friends" with a colleague named Dr. Kathy Grieff (Jennifer Jason Leigh). However, an attack occurs as Morgan stabs Kathy in the eye as the two other doctors intervene and sedate Morgan.

Lee Weathers (Kate Mara), a risk management consultant, arrives at the facility where the incident took place. She meets Amy (Rose Leslie), Morgan's behaviorist, and Skip (Boyd Holbrook), the team's nutritionist. She also meets Dr. Simon Ziegler (Toby Jones), who created Morgan, which he explains that she has matured at a rapid rate, where she now maintains the appearance of a woman. She is also show the video of the incident of the attack and she learns that Amy spends a lot of time with Morgan as she is treated as a sister. Lee is brought in Morgan, who now knows her more as a polite and highly intelligent person. She seems displeased with the result.

Don't you dare harm that deer.

I almost hated this movie because it is a routine science fiction film with mostly chases and attacks that throws so much scientific logic out the window. I would say that the action sequences are shot well but somehow the action is thrown there for entertainment to wake the audience up but also it is a cliche because we might know who will survive and who will not based on Morgan's history of violence because she has been trapped in the facility for so long, producing negative vibe and she escapes to kill people one by one.

The cast is what mostly saves this movie from being trash as Kate Mara sort of is miscast as a consultant investigating what is going on the facility and the chemistry with other people does not bode well in my opinion. But, we sort of figure out in a twist as to why she appears to be how she is and I am afraid to say that I saw it coming. The rest of the ensemble is solid as Anya Taylor-Joy captures a sort of innocent but raging being to expose all her powers and then terminate people's lives. Boyd Holbrook, Rose Leslie, Toby Jones, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michelle Yeoh and Paul Giamatti (in one scene) are all quite good.

This is director Luke Scott's, who is the son of director Ridley Scott and nephew of the late director Tony Scott, feature debut and most of the glossiness comes from his father's work as the production design and cinematography are competent and look solid. But, the whole story is recycled formula from better science fiction films and even though the action is good, I was bored because there's not much intelligence and thought behind why Morgan is attacking them and slowly becoming a failed experiment. She basically breaks down and kills people because she has had it. That's it. I like where the young director is building upon and he is learning, however, he needs to find a more competent and solid screenplay to back up his visionary storytelling.

*1/2