Depending on which tech billionaire you ask, we’ve never been closer to coming up with a cure for death. But what happens when humanity achieves immortality?
That’s the thorny question baked into "The Assessment," a low-budget science fiction thriller that just made its streaming debut on Hulu. And the answer is downright dystopian.
From first-time director Fleur Fortuné, "The Assessment" was briefly in theaters back in March after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024. But there’s a good chance you totally missed this intimate and dark portrayal of the post-apocalypse. Now that it’s finally streaming, you owe it to yourself to check out this overlooked movie you’ve probably never heard of.
What is 'The Assessment' about?
"The Assessment" stars Elizabeth Olsen and Himesh Patel as married couple Mia and Aaryan, who live in a remote house on a rocky beach. Mia and Aaryan are both leading scientists working to solve the issues of their post-apocalyptic world: Aaryan develops virtual pets to replace the live ones that were abolished, while Mia researches ways to restore plant life to the world.
The movie begins when a government employee named Virginia (Alicia Vikander) shows up at their home to assess whether the couple is qualified to raise a child.
The world-building of "The Assessment" is slight and subtle, so we never get all the details, but what we do learn is both fascinating and disturbing. After some sort of apocalyptic event (possibly related to climate change), a group of surviving humans retreated into a domed society to protect themselves from the dangers of the “Old World.”
Within this society, everyone uses a drug called Senoxidine to stop the aging process and live forever (one minor character, played by Minnie Driver, reveals herself to be 150 years old). Because space is limited and nobody can die, natural childbirth is banned and the only way to have a kid is through a government-approved artificial womb. Enter: The assessor.
Virginia informs Mia and Aaryan that she’ll be staying with them for seven days before making her decision. The week that follows is brutal. Virginia oscillates wildly between psychological manipulation and cold observation. She also spends much of the assessment pretending to be a petulant child who throws tantrums, plays favorites between Mia and Aaryan, and constantly puts her own life at risk to see whether one of them will save her.
A chilling world and brilliant performances
Vikander, who trained as a ballet dancer, demonstrates impressive control of her body as she transforms into a believable child through physical motion. Olsen and Patel also do plenty of heavy lifting, quickly establishing their loving (but brittle) relationship. All it takes is a few false moves to expose the cracks in their marriage, suggesting that perhaps Mia and Aaryan aren’t as ready for a child as they think.
The real star of The "Assessment," however, is the world that Fortuné and the film’s screenwriters (Dave Thomas, Nell Garfath-Cox and John Donnelly) have created.
While the movie’s visuals are minimal, and most scenes are limited to just a handful of concrete rooms and a desolate beach (filmed in the Canary Islands), there’s an entire civilization hiding beneath the surface with enough material for at least a few more movies to explore the history and reality of this twisted dystopia.
Then again, it’s probably best if "The Assessment" never gets a sequel. Virginia’s final assessment, and the brief epilogue that follows, offer the kind of thought-provoking finale that most movies can only dream of. Without spoiling any of the film’s several big twists, I’ll just leave you with a warning that no matter how dark and disturbing you expect it to be, The Assessment will still find a way to surprise you in its own subtle and understated style.
Stream "The Assessment" on Hulu
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