MovieChat Forums > Vivarium (2020) Discussion > It Almost Worked, but Lazy Filmmaking

It Almost Worked, but Lazy Filmmaking

posted 4 years ago by JackNorth (244)
7 replies | jump to latest

Not a bad twist on the whole Welcome-to-Our-Strange Community...Stepford Wives...kinda genre, HOWEVER...

...the fact that there is never ANY indication as to the origins, purpose, perpetrators, etc. is complete bullshit. With the freedom of never having to explain anything, filmmakers can just put any weird events just to be weird. It's like going through a cheap haunted house ride at a low-budget carnival; just one chill after another. Then the ride's over. In this case, it's not chills so much as just frustrating events and obstacles.

I liked some of the fairly fresh takes on the genre, but felt cheated bigtime. I mentioned to my wife a few minutes in that I wondered if this was gonna be one of those movies that doesn't explain anything. It was. It didn't even HINT at an explanation.

And yes, as others have pointed out, we both both wondered why they didn't explore the other houses, but ultimately it wouldn't have mattered. They probably would've found themselves inside their own No. 9 unit anyway! Why? Who the hell knows? Or cares now.

[–] BourbonKing (5777) 4 years ago

I agree. The point where it was open for exploration was when the wife kept that crease under the pavement open and she entered inside what was obviously the portal to other trapped civilians. Why she didn't pursue that again made no sense, but then again the sudden illness and ultimate death seemed to answer that for us, but it made for a cheating sense of suffering thru another lazy plot point.

The movie left an abstract clue that this world was somewhat tied to the murderous life cycle of the cuckoo chick but it never expanded on it so again it just felt like a suggestive plot point that went nowhere.

[–] JackNorth (244) 4 years ago

To be honest, it's been a couple weeks since we watched it, and I've already flushed the details out of my head. (I only have so much room! :) I don't even remember any suggested plot point, or didn't recognize it as such at the time.

[–] BourbonKing (5777) 4 years ago

At the films beginning we see the act of an impostor chick pushing a finch chick out of its nest and fooling the parent into raising it. The scene is quickly revisited by the husband who does handy work and was clearing branches from the same tree and he notices the dead chick which he attributes to a cuckoo chick killing it to take its place.

As we see the situation unfold in the couple's newfound living situation and their forced adoption of a strange child it runs parallel to the idea of the cuckoo chick forcing finch parents to care for it. It's with this idea that the movie never really expands on and instead relies on supernatural elements to keep the couple subdued and submissive. That's it.

[–] JackNorth (244) 4 years ago

I'll be honest, I never connected that scene. In my defense, I was probably settling in and pouring my coffee. I did see that, but I guess I hadn't started "watching" it yet. I thought there was something odd about him picking up the dead bird. In fact, I think I told my wife that he should wash his hands! I'll have to check out the beginning again, and look for the connection. But I'm kinda thinking is this film even worth the effort?

[–] BourbonKing (5777) 4 years ago

If you do watch it just look for the opening sequence and you'll recognize the parallels.

The only time well later on into the movie the impostor son is tricked by the mother in telling her who he talked to or met with when he "went to school" and he starts screeching like a bird and his neck expands outward like you see with pigeons.

[–] JackNorth (244) 4 years ago

You're good.

I'm taking down my hummingbird feeder right now.

[–] rudeboymurray (3270) 4 years ago

I saw it at a festival last year and found it reasonably engaging for much of its length, with a refreshing sense of humour. It became repetitive and unravelled in the second half, unfortunately. And I completely agree that not giving any suggestion of an explanation is a cheat - some films can get away with being unsolved mysteries, but this was sheer laziness.