The Assessment

Vikander, perhaps recognizing how tantalizingly different this type of role is for her, turns Virginia into an unsettling tour de force of disciplined abandon.

A provocative and sometimes squirm-inducingly funny sci-fi that gives its three leads lots of juicy material to chew on, with Vikander, in particular, turning her Virginia into a compellingly inscrutable, but not entirely unsympathetic, antagonist.

The first feature from [Fleur Fortuné] has a ton of style, and signals from the beginning her confident use of framing, texture and color.

Prioritizing aesthetics over narrative, the film offers only superficial hints of a society riven by class and authoritarian politics.

The performances are first-rate, particularly those of Vikander and Olsen, waging a war of wills — the tension is palpable.

The Assessment works its way through intriguing conundrums about the motivations and qualifications of parenthood, as well as the power dynamics at play between parents and children.

The Assessment is an emotionally somber but visually stylish drama that shows a post-apocalyptic society where people have to pass a government evaluation test for approval to become parents. The principal cast members give memorable performances.

Alicia Vikander steals the show in Fleur Fortuné's promising directorial debut.

The Assessment's expository world-building is genius but the character development and story structure leave more questions than answers.

From the score to the performances to the cinematography, script, and direction, The Assessment is a singular work I won’t soon forget and Fortuné crafts some imagery here unlike anything that has come before in cinema.