The Plot
In the world of “The Assessment,” the future is shaped by climate change and the government’s tight control over resources. As a result, to ensure the world doesn’t become overpopulated, a week-long assessment is set up to decide who can and can’t have children. Mia (Elizabeth Olsen) and Aaryan (Himesh Patel) live in a quiet, isolated house with everything they need to do their jobs: Aaryan has a studio for his genetic research, while Mia runs a greenhouse as a botanical scientist. The two are assigned an assessor named Virginia (Alicia Vikander), who tests them for all kinds of things. As the tests become more abstract and baffling, nothing seems so obvious anymore.
“The Assessment” is a 2024 science fiction thriller written by Dave Thomas, Nell Garfath-Cox and John Donnelly and directed by Fleur Fortuné, in her debut as a feature film director.
The observations of “The Assessment”
This independent film is unpredictable, full of tension, set in a rather near future, with realistic themes and situations that could (unfortunately) come true between climate change, control over the number of the population and the distinction between people who can afford a prolonged life or not. The debut work of the French director makes us face them instead.
We are shown how, after the destruction of the “Old World” only those who have made a positive contribution or simply because they are rich have the right to a place in the “New World”, a still livable version of the Earth, made possible by the development of technologies. Those who have not made any useful contribution in the Old World are condemned to mere survival. This is highlighted during the iconic dinner scene, where actress Minnie Driver gives a compelling monologue explaining how the change came about.
Cast and Director
The real strength of “The Assessment” is the fascinating performance of the three main actors: Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel. They are the masters of every single scene, little is said of what is outside, only the bare minimum to contextualize the story told, centered precisely in the narrow world of Mia and Aaryan. Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Olsen, in particular, shine in the guise of their characters, respectively a mysterious assessor who would do anything to test them and a wife who would like to become a mother at all costs.
With this film, visually fresh and full of a personal aesthetic, Fleur Fortuné leaves her mark for the direction, for the story, for the use of colors.
Perfect the use of the location that confirming herself as a true artist, no longer just a niche.
Worthy of note is the music that helps the viewer enter the atmosphere of the science fiction thriller, punctuated by sounds that transmit trance and suspense, as well as recalling the primitive but at the same time the futuristic.
The film, as anticipated, poses several questions, concluding with a noteworthy ending, not at all banal.
Although we could have expected an hypothetical happy ending from at least one of the three storylines, “The Assessment” ends with three totally different endings but still consistent with the development of the individual characters.
Highly recommended.
🗳️8.5 out of 10