TL;DR
Looking for a unique and unsettling sci-fi experience? Vivarium throws a young couple into a nightmarish, cookie-cutter housing development with no escape. Faced with a mysterious baby and cryptic instructions, their sanity erodes in this original film. While Imogen Poots shines, Jesse Eisenberg's performance feels a bit off, and the plot might have been tighter as a shorter episode. Discover if this eerie tale of suburban dread is worth your time – dive into the full review to find out!
Gemma (Imogen Poots) and Tom (Jesse Eisenberg), a young couple in search of a home, enter an unconventional real estate office. There, an insistent salesman persuades them to visit a new residential development filled with vacant, strikingly identical houses. After accompanying him, they quickly realize the unsettling nature of the location. The realtor vanishes, and their attempts to leave prove futile. The situation escalates when a baby arrives in a box, accompanied by the cryptic instruction: “raise the child and you will be free.”
In an era dominated by remakes, sequels, and reboots, Vivarium offers a refreshing originality, unburdened by pre-existing source material (excluding the 16-minute short film upon which it’s based). Director and screenwriter Lorcan Finnegan masterfully crafts a genuinely unsettling and eerie atmosphere. While some may question the logic of the protagonists’ decisions, the narrative’s overall coherence remains compelling. However, the core premise arguably stretches thin over a feature-length film. Vivarium might have resonated more effectively as a 55-minute Black Mirror episode, as its 97-minute runtime introduces a degree of repetition.
Imogen Poots delivers a compelling performance, her portrayal of desperation and disgust eliciting a palpable response from the viewer. Jesse Eisenberg’s performance, while not lacking talent, feels somewhat misaligned with the character’s requirements. Senan Jennings, as the grown-up child, delivers a memorably unsettling performance. The decision to dub his voice with that of an adult man, combined with Jennings’ unsettling expressions, is remarkably effective.
The Blu-ray edition presents an acceptable picture quality, although a degree of softness is noticeable. The sound design, while adequate, exhibits a somewhat low volume and limited surround presence. The lack of supplementary features, save for a few trailers for other films, is disappointing, as additional insights into the making of Vivarium would have been welcome.
In conclusion, Vivarium provides an intriguing cinematic experience, although its extended runtime detracts from its overall impact. The film features several novel and memorable scenes, complemented by generally competent performances. While commendable, the film falls short of earning a strong recommendation.
Review Highlights: Q&A
Is Vivarium worth watching?
Vivarium provides an intriguing cinematic experience with an eerie atmosphere and memorable scenes, but its 97-minute runtime stretches the premise thin and falls short of earning a strong recommendation.
How are the acting performances in Vivarium?
Imogen Poots gives a compelling portrayal of desperation and disgust, and Senan Jennings offers a memorably unsettling turn as the child. Jesse Eisenberg's performance feels somewhat misaligned with the character.
How is the Blu-ray release of Vivarium?
The Blu-ray features an acceptable picture quality with noticeable softness, alongside adequate sound that has low volume and limited surround presence. It lacks bonus materials other than a few trailers.
What is the pacing like in Vivarium?
The film runs for 97 minutes and introduces a degree of repetition, suggesting its core concept might have worked more effectively as a 55-minute Black Mirror episode.
