Forget Your Expectations

Rating: 8/10 (29 April 2018)

First of all, I must say this movie is... odd.
I read the reviews prior to watching and was more than a little disheartened by the "I was expecting A bit this movie is totally not A so I'm totally going to bash it because it wasn't what I was expecting" reviews. I get it. Sci-Fi. We all see trailers and think we know what to expect. I'm guilty too. But I don't bash a movie when it delivers the unexpected!
So this movie... hmmm... where to begin. There are plot holes. Definitely. Several that I scrunched my eyebrows at and wondered how a production team let that pass, BUT none so huge that they kept me from enjoying the movie or following what was happening. There are mistakes and plot holes in every movie, there just happen to be noticeable ones in this movie.
Graphics and special effects are pretty amazing. The world that is created inside the phenomenon known as "the shimmer" is superb. All of the strange mutations reminded me of several books I've read revolving around post nuclear war conditions on Earth... maybe a little toward The 100 when they are introducing the new Earth in season 1. Regardless, very pretty and very interesting visuals.
The science. This is tough for me. I have a degree in Biology and am finishing a Masters in Physics, soooooo this is different for me than the average person. The concept of the mutations and why they are happening is... interesting... and impossible (as Portman actually states in the movie). BUT I have to remind myself that this is meant to be triggered by an alien entity. That means that what humans believe to be the limits of possibility are obsolete when you introduce alien intelligence that might conceivably not even be carbon based! So while I don't see the science as "sound", I am intrigued by the entertainment of the what if factor. In reality, the effects the scientists see are more aligned with genetic engineering than natural mutation sequencing... but I digress.
The acting was better than average with several really great moments throughout. Portman is definitely the standout actress here and delivers a character you would expect from an actress of her caliber. The supporting cast did a wonderful job. Everyone delivered their characters, though I will say that the script itself limited the character development. You do not really have personal attachment to anyone but Portman's Lena. So I wasn't heartbroken by the eventual demise of certain characters. Had there been opportunities for me to invest emotionally in them, I think their fates would be more profound and elevate the experience further.
All in all, the movie is entertaining, it makes you think about a possibility that could be out there for all we know, and the ending makes me wonder what is next. Those 3 things are, to me, what a movie should do. There are shortcomings in this movie (hence I didn't give it a 10). There are shortcomings and errors in pretty much every movie ever made. However, I do not agree with the naysayers that this movie is inherently bad or destined for the $1 bin at every retailer. I just believe that you shouldn't go in with an expectation of where you think the plot is going... because I can almost guarantee that it is not headed down the path you believe it to be. The trailers do not accurately set this movie up! So discard your preconceptions and pop some popcorn. Settle in for a good little movie that will make you go "Huh?! What if..."
Enjoy...