If you haven’t seen the hidden gem of a movie The Assessment the feature length debut from director Fleur Fortuné, then you are missing out. Here are the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch.
1. Low-Key Release
One of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch is the low-key release of the film. The Assessment premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024, but didn’t hit US theaters until March 21, 2025, and now it is available to rent on Prime Video as of May 3, 2025. There is nothing more disappointing than when a movie is so hyped up before you get a chance to see it.
The countless trailers, the social media exposure, and the constant discussion regarding popular films creates an expectation about the experience that is often disappointing. You either see everything good there is to see in one of the many distributed trailers or it just doesn’t live up to all the hype it created prior to its release. The Assessment is a low-key hidden gem that you can watch without all the expectations and let-downs. Being a fresh experience is one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch.
2. The Cast
While the cast list is limited, one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch is that it stars Elizabeth Olsen as Mia, who is married to Aaryan portrayed by Himesh Patel. The couple compliment and contrast each other perfectly throughout the film, however the standout is Alicia Vikander, who plays Virginia, a government assigned “assessor” to stay with the couple for seven days to determine if they are fit to be granted permission to have a child.
Vikander is a powerhouse throughout the film and the chemistry between her and Elizabeth Olsen creates an emotional vortex for viewers. Vikander portrays many different personalities during her one role as Virginia, and it is nothing short of impressive. Olsen is always a standout in any film where she is featured as the main character, giving the film depth and her character, Mia, relatability. The stellar cast is one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch.
3. The Premise
The Assessment has a very different premise than most films out there right now and that is one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch. The setting is a dystopian future where the Earth is a hostile place and divided into the “new world” and the “old world”, where those that don’t comply to the strict government regulations get sent to. The Assessment is not just a dystopian fantasy film; however, it is a tense psychological thriller. Mia and Aaryan are both contributors to this new world, he makes life-like virtual reality pets (since pets are eradicated), and she grows sustainable crops in a greenhouse (since most of the land is barren).
The couple applies to the government to have a child, but the process is not easy. They not only have to get the assessment that everyone requesting a child has to have, but they end up with the engrossing Virginia as their house guest for 7 days. During the assessment Virginia throws all kinds of tests their way and you don’t know whether they are passing or failing the entire time. The psychological thriller and dystopian setting are a complex combination, but is woven together very nicely in The Assessment, making the premise one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch.
4. Thought-Provoking Themes
The many thought-provoking themes is another one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch. Along with the dystopian future, social norms are put to the ultimate test, and the ethical complexities of living forever are firmly placed in the background of the film’s plot. The Assessment is powerful and emotional and has viewers questioning what they would do in such situations, that may not seem that far away.
How would you sustain life if the Earth became a hostile environment, how would the government allocate resources and control population. It puts into question how far society would go to control human relationships. The strong desire for people to procreate and have children of their own is also questioned throughout the film. The many taboo topics and moral questioning makes the thought-provoking themes one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch.
5. Atmospheric Cinematography
The Assessment has a minimalist style, yet it is almost hauntingly beautiful, making the atmospheric cinematography one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch. The home has a protective dome and appears exactly like what you would think a futuristic home would look like, but there is so much more to it. From the virtual reality office where Aaryan creates such astoundingly real pets that they even feel real, to the greenhouse where Mia creates plants that are beautiful and life-sustaining.
The outside has a desert like landscape that appears rocky, and barren giving “the new world” an otherworldly atmosphere. They are also near a roaring ocean that just adds to the ethereal environment. The setting of The Assessment seems well thought out and expertly crafted to take viewers further into the story, making the atmospheric cinematography one of the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch.
With a stellar cast, a relevant premise, thought-provoking themes, and artistic atmospheric cinematography, these are the Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch. Have you seen the film? What do you think of the list? We would love to hear your Top 5 Reasons the New Movie The Assessment Is a Must-Watch.
