Movie review: Vivarium
For many couples, finding the perfect "forever home" is a goal to aspire to, along with marriage and kids. But what if that dream turns into a nightmare and you are imprisoned in your habitat?
That, and much more, is the premise behind the unsettling sci-fi mystery film Vivarium.
A young couple's (Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots) suburban hell begins when they follow a strange real estate agent to a seemingly idyllic neighbourhood of identical green houses.
But when they try to exit the labyrinth-like housing development, they end up back at the same place. They have no choice but to live in it - and in a loop - and the suspense deepens when an infant is delivered to their doorstep with instructions to "raise the child and be released".
The less one knows about plot details, the more chilling the payoff - and it gets really mind-bending in the Twilight Zone-ish final act.
The underlying social commentary about parasitism, the shackles of domesticity and unplanned parenthood is provocative, while Senan Jennings delivers one of the creepiest child performances ever.
Oh, and you may never look at the life cycle of cuckoo birds the same way again.
Rating: M18
SCORE: 4/5
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