Probably the best scifi-horror movie of the past 10 years

Rating: 8/10 (10 July 2018)

As it stands at the halfway point of 2018, this film is probably my 3rd favorite release so far. I liked quite a bit about this movie, I'll go through all the big items, piece by piece. First, the characters are all done wonderfully, especially given tha it has an ensemble cast. All the main actresses get a moment to shine and a deeper dimension besides their outward description, Portman and Thompson in particular turn in stellar performances. Second, it masterfully crafts tension and horror. From the very beginning we are on the edge of our seat, and the unease only builds until the last frame of the movie. Also the horror elements, are truly terrifying, with proper build up and no reliance on jump scares. Lastly, the visuals are some of the best I can think of. Every frame is gorgeous and could be a poster on your wall.
My biggest issue with this movie is the ending, as I suspect is the case with most people. Throughout the movie, it's walking the line between science fiction and horror, and then the last 20 minutes turn hard into the science fiction aspect in a very unexpected way. Not to say that the ending is bad, but I felt that it was far too abstract with not enough set up for it to be earned. I suspect that writer/director Alex Garland intended to make this ending shocking and confusing, but I think he took it a touch too far, resulting in a climax that feels like it belongs in a different movie.
Despite my gripe with the ending, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, so much so that I recently rewatched it. Everything about this movie is executed so well that I suspect Garland will be remembered as one of the great modern, scifi directors.
My last note is just a piece of advice for those who do watch it at home. Watch it on the biggest, highest definition screen you have, with a solid sound system. A big part of this movie is built on it's visuals and sound design and you won't get the same experience if you watch it on a low def TV or laptop.