Vivarium

I don't know what made me decide to revisit <I>Vivarium</i>, but after watching <I>Backrooms</i> and other films that present an unknown (and growing) world full of unspeakable mysteries, maybe that's the perfect reason.

Both Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg shine here, even though the situation they find themselves in are depressing and devastating. In fact, it's more along the lines of dehumanization, where both are forced to survive by fulfilling a specific task of parenting a suddenly-presented baby, which grows quickly from a baby to a young adult. They abide by the rules, which asks they raise the child, with one tending to parental duties while the other refuses to partake, instead continuously digging into the ground seeking a potential form of escape, with devastating results. However, watching them both (attempt to) tend to this "person" ultimately results in their eventual decline (and death), finally showcasing the true intent of this "community" they've allowed themselves to discover.

The film's setting is something out of a Tim Burton film (much like <I>Edward Scissorhands</i>), showing a landscape of never-ending rows of similar homes and stable cloud formations throughout. Eventually, we learn about past inhabitants in this world, and how they succumbed to the this world they were forced into.

If you're looking for a creepy film that offers a gut-punch at the end, this is for you.