Fleur Fortuné’s feature debut, The Assessment, brings you to a dystopian world where nothing feels quite right. Nature and life are far from natural; forests are long gone, there are no living animals, and life-altering drugs are now daily staples in everyone’s lives. Aging and health issues are non-existent if you continue your daily routines and take your miracle drug, rendering death obsolete. So much of what was once a natural world is either gone or stripped away.

From natural childbirth being forbidden to being interviewed, even to be considered to become a parent in an oddly mandated fashion, nothing is truly real. Artificial wombs are the only way forward, but just like anything else during this time, you must meet standards that are enforced by the never-fully-mentioned governing forces. This movie transports you to an oppressive era where you strive to contribute and prove yourself fit for various moments in life that were once natural.

The Assessment‘s Core Trio

While you see various other faces and get to know other characters briefly, the movie revolves around three main characters. Each of these characters plays a vital role, bringing different emotions and takes to the whole film and the situations that arise during the entirety of The Assessment.

• Mia (Elizabeth Olsen): The mother figure in the seemingly marital pair, Mia, is a natural enthusiast in a bleak world marked by barren landscapes, legal blockades, and AI. She is a botanist who uses her own greenhouse not only for study purposes but also for sustainability. She is one of the last remaining glimmers of natural existence. Olsen is the reminder of raw humanity in The Assessment.
• Aaryan (Himesh Patel): Not only the paternal figure, Aaryan leans more to the modern thinking and technology-based mindset. A genius of his time, he works on creating virtual existence, working to bring AI to a physical, tangible state. However, he still aches for a family even in an artificial and doctrined world. With insecurities about not measuring up as a parent due to his own struggles with his parents, Aaryan brings not only intellect but also unexpected warmth at times.
• Virginia (Alicia Vikander): The walking paradox of a proctor, Virginia plays a major role in The Assessment. She brings not only expectations and examination of, but also multiple personalities masked by the test itself. Who is Virginia now, a child, a proctor, or someone else entirely?
  
  The Assessment examines what happens when one lives in a world where almost every aspect of life has regulations, and even intimacy becomes regulated. It’s hauntingly reflective of the society we might already be inching toward, in some ways. Some may think that is a far-fetched thought, but is it really?

Would You Live In An Advanced AI World?

If you had the chance to not only halt aging but also eradicate health issues and ailments with the use of a single daily medication dose, would you? What if it were mandated, and you had to take this medication? While there are some advantages, just as in real life, there are also disadvantages to the medication.

While using this medication, it renders anyone who takes it infertile. To become a parent in this world that heavily relies on AI for many aspects of life, you have to qualify to take a test, an assessment. A proctor comes in to give you that test, in your own home. There is little to no information on what to expect when it comes to this assessment, and that alone brings its own anxiety and pressure. The moment you stop using your mandated meds, everything starts to reverse. Would you take it, and would you live in this type of world?

Not Quite A Dystopian

The Assessment is not quite a dystopian, however, it definitely smacks of one. It will give you a mind-boggling experience, and it lives up to the aspects of a science fiction movie while also staying true to the psychological thriller genre. This is one of those movies where you don’t just want to get up and grab a snack during; you’d better hit pause! Missing anything at any moment will leave you more boggled than you already will find yourself. You really don’t want to miss a single thing!

Couch Potato

The best part about watching The Assessment is that you can watch it from the comfort of your own home. On the couch, in the recliner, lying in bed, you name it. You can find The Assessment on various streaming services, including Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and more. You won’t break the bank watching this one, but you might break your mind, just a little.