MORGAN
US, 2016, 92 minutes, Colour.
Kate Mara, Anya Taylor- Joy, Rose Leslie, Michael Yare, Toby Jones, Chris Sullivan, Boyd Holbrook, Vinette Robinson, Michelle Yeoh, Brian Cox, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Paul Giamatti.
Directed by Luke Scott.
It is almost 200 years since Mary Shelley wrote her classic novel, Frankenstein. It was taken up in the 20th century, the subject of many novels, many variations on the theme of the hubris of creators who want to “play God� and create life. The archetypal story became very popular with the 1930s with the film of Frankenstein and the many cinema variations of the story. And, the popularity has continued into the 21st century. Morgan is one of the latest examples.
The film was shot in Northern Ireland, The action takes place in one of those remote locations in the woods, an old mansion with offices and accommodation but with a state-of-the-art laboratory for experiments and creation of facsimiles of life. This is a reminder of the laboratory in the woods and the new creature, again female, in the fine science fiction film, Ex Machina. Here it is Morgan (Anya Taylor- Joy.
The film opens with a young woman speeding through the countryside, very serious, dressed in black, definitely on a mission. This is Lee Weathers, sent by the executors of the company to make a report on the progress of Morgan. At the installation is a mixed staff, a manager, the scientist in charge of the project (Toby Jones), two scientists, two women who nurse and accompany Morgan, Kathy and Amy (Rose Leslie and Jennifer Jason Leigh) and a cook, Skip (Boyd Holbrook).
Lee meets everyone which enables the audience to have an introduction to the whole staff and what they do, although Kathy is in the infirmary, having been attacked by Morgan, something the audience has seen on the CCTV. Lee is very serious, almost robotic in her behaviour and communication, although there is a momentary touch of humanity following a romantic urge by Skip.
But, the assessment depends on the interview by the psychologists, Dr Shapiro (Paul Giamatti) who is to arrive the next day. When he arrives, he is bumptiously self-confident, wanting no glass partition between him and Morgan (as there is with everyone else). Apart from the attack that we have seen, Morgan, whom the staff think of as female but whom Lee stresses is an “it�, Morgan seems a pleasantly subdued and polite young woman (though it has only taken her five years of development to reach this stage).
Dr Shapiro might be a celebrated psychologist but he pays the price for his aggressive interrogation and demanding that Morgan imagine, “what if…?�.
It is at this point that the film become something of B-budget thriller with Morgan aggressively targeting all the staff except for her friend, Amy, wanting to go out into the countryside to a lake which they had visited previously – and Morgan had encountered a wounded animal which made an impact on her.
Ultimately, as we might imagine, it is a struggle between Lee, seemingly remarkably resilient, and Morgan.
There is a finale which brings themes together as Lee reports back to the affluent and ambitious executives (including Brian Cox), leaving us to ponder the questions about hubris, laboratory creations and experiments, the human issues, financial gains… The film was directed by Luke Scott, some of the celebrated director, Ridley Scott.
1. The archetypal Frankenstein story? 21st century? The creature, the makers? Hubris and playing God?
2. The Northern Ireland locations, the remote woods, the old manor, the laboratory, the interiors, the offices of the lab, the countryside, the lake? Musical score?
3. The title, the creation? The company, the experiments, the assessments and tests, company loyalty, the background of a tragedy in Helsinki? Sending Lee, her mission? Conducting the mission? Her report? The final meeting of the company executives?
4. Lee, in herself, robotic, serious, driving to the mansion, the gates, meeting Ted as director, Derren and Brenda and their role, Kathy and her injury, Amy companion in Morgan, Skip and his role as cook, the manager of the project? The controls? Waiting for Dr Shapiro? Meeting Dr Cheung?
5. The audience seeing Morgan, her age, appearance, clothes, hood, control, the mechanisms on hers and Kathy’s heads? The brutal attack on Kathy, damage to Kathy’s eye?
6. Lee meeting Morgan, talk, the glass between them, Morgan being polite? Lee and her discussions with the project controller? The personalising of Morgan and Lee calling her an it?
7. The creation of Morgan, the video of her childhood, the five years? Her calling the doctor mother? Her capacities, genderless, yet female in appearance? The staff and humanising her? The violence of her attack?
8. Walking with Amy, the countryside, the wounded animal, its dying, Morgan pulling at the stake?
9. The contrast with each of the members of the staff, the talking with them, Skip and the attraction, the kiss? Lee and her measured approach to everyone?
10. Dr Shapiro, arrival, brusque, his manner, not wanting any glass barrier, his self-confidence? Sitting with Morgan, the interview, his sharp techniques, her reactions, politeness, his accusations, the what if… questions? Her attack on the doctor, his brutal death?
11. The staff reactions, the tranquilizing darts, subduing Morgan, binding her? Her breaking loose, killing of the staff, Ted, Derren? The confrontation with the director and his death? Cathy getting out, the death?
12. The attacks, Morgan free, confining Lee, Lee breaking loose, climbing the tower, getting out?
13. Amy, taking the car, going to the lake with Morgan? Lee and Skip following, is rifle, reputation as a hunter? The pursuit? The chase, the crash of the car?
14. Amy, with the gun, going to the lake, talking with Morgan, the attraction of the water? Lee firing the shot, hiding, Morgan finding her, the fight, Lee’s resilience, pushing Morgan into the water, choking her? Amy and Skip? Deaths?
15. Lee’s return, the businesslike discussion of the executives? The failure of the Morgan project? Lee as a success, creation, robotic, capacities for recovery, to assume human roles?
16. Business and money, scientists playing God, financiers playing God? The effectiveness of the film as a Frankenstein fable for the 21st century?
