Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Labyrinthine
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- dreamy
- oppressive
- late night arthouse viewing
- rainy day horror marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as creepy, provocative, and aesthetically absorbing, while noting its deliberate ambiguity.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Nicolas's island may be a future, another planet, or a dream, and the film withholds definitive clarification.
The boys are taken to a hospital-like facility for disturbing medical procedures performed by women dressed as nurses.
Nicolas suspects that his mother and the women are lying after his discovery in the ocean and investigates the village.
White houses, black sand, volcanic rock, and the surrounding sea create a stark, dreamlike visual environment.
Films like Evolution, and why
The Other Side of the Underneath
Shared enigmatic speculative horror, child-centered perspective, and unsettling dreamlike atmosphere.
The Reflecting Skin
Shared poetic surrealism, ambiguous reality, and disturbing coming-of-age imagery.
Under the Skin
Shared austere visual composition, uncanny bodily themes, and opaque speculative storytelling.
The Lighthouse
Shared atmospheric mystery, isolated environments, and psychologically disorienting horror.
Movie Details
- Director
- Lucile Hadžihalilović
- Release Date
- 2016-03-16
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Rating
- 5.9 / 10 (239)
Cast
- Max Brebant
- Roxane Duran
- Julie-Marie Parmentier
- Mathieu Goldfeld
- Nissim Renard
- Pablo-Noé Etienne
- Nathalie Legosles
- Chantal Aimée
- Marta Blanc
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Evolution about?
- A curious island boy uncovers a clinical conspiracy that transforms an austere seaside paradise into a haunting enigma.
- What is Evolution like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Evolution as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as labyrinthine.
- Is Evolution violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Evolution as mild.
- What did critics think of Evolution?
- Critics broadly praised the film as creepy, provocative, and aesthetically absorbing, while noting its deliberate ambiguity.
- Which films are like Evolution?
- Films with a similar feel include The Other Side of the Underneath, The Reflecting Skin, Under the Skin, and The Lighthouse.
- How long is Evolution?
- Evolution runs 82 minutes.
- Where can I watch Evolution?
- In United States, Evolution streams on Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Sundance Now.
