Vivarium

Saban Films | Release Date (Streaming): March 27, 2020

5.1	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 96 Ratings

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Onlyclassicvg1Oct 25, 2022

Finally, someone other than me who ”got” the cuckoo foreshadowing! Vargatyr’s review is only inaccurate in estimating the film’s length at 120 minutes; it’s actually 97 minutes, but those are loooong minutes (about 280 seconds each

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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MerkkFeb 13, 2022

This is y types of movie critics will be more likely to love because of 'art' while the average movie goer is going to feel .... Well you'll probably feel nothing. It's an interesting story to start with, and keeps you engaged waiting forThis is y types of movie critics will be more likely to love because of 'art' while the average movie goer is going to feel .... Well you'll probably feel nothing. It's an interesting story to start with, and keeps you engaged waiting for some sort of explanation behind it all.
But that never happens. If you just want to be entertained, skip this movie. If you want something that's a little bit more of a pshyco-horror art/think piece, then maybe you'll like this.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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SMBWMay 18, 2020

Фильм просто разочаровывает, тупая концовка не связанная с сюжетом, а тупо заканчивающаяся ничем. Унылая игра актеров и отсутствие логики у персонажей Фильм просто разочаровывает, тупая концовка не связанная с сюжетом, а тупо заканчивающаяся ничем. Унылая игра актеров и отсутствие логики у персонажей

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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RalfbergsApr 19, 2020

While it started out kinda interesting with an interesting premise and stuff, it eventually became boring and ended without solving anything and leaving you feeling like you just wasted time watching it - it gave no reasons for what happenedWhile it started out kinda interesting with an interesting premise and stuff, it eventually became boring and ended without solving anything and leaving you feeling like you just wasted time watching it - it gave no reasons for what happened and no answers why it happened etc. Acting also was weird at times. Basically feeling like even giving too high of a rating and maybe basing that on liking actors or the initial premise, but yeah if you saw trailer before watching i doubt you dont know already how movie ends… Expand

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umaumaiMay 28, 2020

This movie is not for everyone. While it’s a really well made from the top down with great writing, acting and cinematography the bizarre story leaves you without any idea of what just happened and a very unsatisfying ending. I wouldn’t callThis movie is not for everyone. While it’s a really well made from the top down with great writing, acting and cinematography the bizarre story leaves you without any idea of what just happened and a very unsatisfying ending. I wouldn’t call this a traditional horror or thriller film either. While it has its moments of creepiness, it’s a very slow burn story that doesn’t really amp up till the end where you will be left with more questions then answers. The ambiguity didn’t bother me as it seemed the film makers are trying to make a statement about “nature” and how it can be unfair, but that thread of narrative gets lost by the end. This is definitely one of those films I found interesting and will discuss with other people who enjoy this kind of thing, but I’ll probably never watch it again.… Expand

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PeteOppelJul 20, 2020

The perfect allegory for what it's like living in a suburban subdivision during the Coronavirus pandemic.

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JLuis_001Apr 8, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's interesting to understand that the various interpretations this movie can have will vary depending on the viewer, but irrevocably its conclusion is still the same and that's the key element of this story.

Vivarium is a kind of lost episode from The Twilight Zone. A tale about being trapped in an existential circle over which you simply have no control, or if you came to believe that you had it, now you have to face reality and accept the role that life has imposed on you.
Something the two main characters end up confronting once they surrender to the reality that has been imposed on them.

Vivarium isn't a subtle film and yes, it's more confusing than explicit and both its second act and conclusion don't feel satisfactory, but in my personal interpretation and the reason why I give it three stars is that that final path is precisely the bleak moral of the allegory and the obvious disappointment that life can bring when it binds you to an established social role from which you cannot escape and after all the work you will simply die and the ones whom you raised will only repeat that cycle.… Expand

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DawdlingPoetJan 14, 2022

This film has an artificial feel to it (the setting), which reminded me a little of The Truman Show, only the characters are nearly entirely alone - isolated in a very clinical feeling way. It has a spooky, unsettling feel to it. I felt thereThis film has an artificial feel to it (the setting), which reminded me a little of The Truman Show, only the characters are nearly entirely alone - isolated in a very clinical feeling way. It has a spooky, unsettling feel to it. I felt there were some unanswered questions - where did they get there groceries from, if their truly trapped in the same street with only houses as far as the eye can see, for example?.

If your not ok with loud, long, prolonged shrieks then this film isn't for you. Also, it becomes distinctly more unsettling and surreal towards the end, with a lot of emphasis on light and colour - one plot element reminded me of 'Being John Malkovich'. It also made me think of 'The Stepford Wives'. By the very end, I felt it was a bit of a 'mind eff' type film. I'm not sure I'd say its particularly good but its certainly not a pointless film - its quirky and definitely not perfect - perhaps somewhat memorable, though not entirely in the best of ways maybe, I'm going for this rating as I thought the cast did well and the visual effects aren't bad. If your into claustrophobic, somewhat spooky mystery type films, then this is likely worth your time but it won't suit everyone.… Expand

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Stream2BigScreeSep 19, 2020

Hey Streamers! This week we got straight up depressed and watched the first thing in our watchlist. Vivarium, you're up to bat. We weren't too picky, and we'd heard the movie was "interesting". The synopsis of Vivarium goes as follows: aHey Streamers! This week we got straight up depressed and watched the first thing in our watchlist. Vivarium, you're up to bat. We weren't too picky, and we'd heard the movie was "interesting". The synopsis of Vivarium goes as follows: a young couple looking for the perfect home find themselves trapped in a mysterious labyrinth-like neighborhood of identical houses. I know that was absolutely horrifying for you millennials out there and I think that's the point. Let's get to it.

First, this movie reminds me of a little diddy I used to love. A cult classic, if you will:

"I have a blue house with a blue window
Blue is the color of all that I wear
Blue are the streets and all the trees are too
I have a girlfriend and she is so blue
... Blue are the feelings that live inside me
I'm blue da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa, da ba dee da ba daa
Da ba dee da ba daa" ("Blue (Da Ba Dee)" by Eiffel 65... If I were green I would die, If i were green i would die.

Why do I say that you ask? Well as the poster and description suggest, the maze of homes and interior of homes is just a green bundled mess. Eiffel 65 would've been disgusted and shocked by this green anomaly. The setting of the film is basic yet simultaneously complex. How will our protagonists get out? Are they alone? Why was this house so cheap? I know you house hunters out there will ask the same question after watching. Either way, the setting of the film sets that freaky atmosphere.

Second, we have the cast. Some of us love Jesse Eisenberg and others are not so high on him. This role is in no way one of his better one and, in fact, I think the movie really missed out on using him better. He's got more range in acting ability than the director, Lorcan Finnegan, allowed him to portray in this movie. Should've let him go full Social Network or Luthor. As for Imogen Poots, she was "just alright for me dog". She definitely hit the range of emotions here but her character was the "poots". I don't know if that was on purpose or not. The real star of the movie was my man, Martin. No, not Lawrence. The character Martin, while weird and strange is the only thing worth watching in the film. How will Martin act now? And why are these fools even following him to an open house? But I digress.

Finally, the movie isn't really about the characters or the setting as much as the meaning of everything together. Where the film lacks in storyline creativity, it makes up with in storyline and movie detail analysis. My wife, Trip and I sat here on the phone for an hour talking about what certain images meant or were trying to represent in society. From what we gather, the director and story writers think millennials lives suck and are trapped in the monotony of the aspirations previous generations' American Dream. And there is something strange about cuckoo birds too (pay attention). We would enjoy reading your comments about your thoughts after you've watched.

Trip: Ahem! If I may interject for a quick couple notes? While watching Vivarium, I definitely thought of this film as the existential nightmare for millennials. My biggest problem with the movie is that it is so obvious in what it is doing that I felt like screaming "just get to the point" throughout its 90 minutes. Consequently, I found the film kind of repetitive and so "boring" is an apt description for something that otherwise has a potentially interesting premise. I will allow that there are some complicated themes to unpack after it's all done. Also, I think Imogen Poots was fine. She did what she was called to do and is the audience surrogate here, especially when the film examines parenthood in this day and age. Jesse Eisenberg, on the other hand, now makes me feel icky, and I think that's because he's very much associated with that smarmy, creep he's played in the past, Mark Zuckerberg. He's not doing that here, but the presence is still off-putting.

Long story short, Vivarium is a strangely boring and ironically chuckle-worthy film. The cast is small and only delivers a couple notable moments. The film is worth a handful of popcorn for our creepy friend Martin and the post film symbolism analysis. If you get bored and have Amazon Prime, check out Vivarium to go house hunting for your forever home.

Trip: Yep, it's a decent conversation piece. Check it out and send your comments about what it all means!… Expand

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Tez555May 2, 2020

This could easily be a Black Mirror (or Twilight Zone) episode, but one of the more average episodes. It's good, has a nice eery atmosphere, but not great or as clever as it thinks it is/wants to be. I love Imogen Poots (and her weird run)This could easily be a Black Mirror (or Twilight Zone) episode, but one of the more average episodes. It's good, has a nice eery atmosphere, but not great or as clever as it thinks it is/wants to be. I love Imogen Poots (and her weird run) and she doesn't dissapoint, nore does Jesse, although he has the *cough* every now and then *cough* which in every film means somethings wrong with him, I hate it when they do that.
The ending is sort of what you think is going to happen, it's not amazing, like alot of Black Mirror's really. The problem is, you're obviously looking for some big clever twist that just doesn't really happen.… Expand

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