First off, I have to applaud Alex Garland for not spoon feeding audiences and for eclipsing himself in every possible way. He takes the same feeling of dread from Ex Machina and turns the dial to 11, resulting in a much more violent, disturbing, and thought-provoking offering than any of his previous projects. Secondly, I have to give producer Scott Rudin a standing ovation for refusing to dumb down the film and for fighting to keep it in its original form. It's a shame that the international distribution rights had to be sold to Netflix as a compromise because this film really does deserve the theater experience in every way; however, those located in international territories will have the privilege of rewatching the film multiple times without having to shell out the price of admission each time — this is a film that is definitely enhanced with each new viewing, and the subtleties of Garland and company's mastery will become more and more apparent as you continue to venture into The Shimmer with each rewatch.

For those fans expecting to get a faithful adaptation of the novel, check those expectations at the door because you will be sorely disappointed. Aside from the basic premise and shared disorientation, the book and novel are completely different experiences. One of the changes, which is a smart choice on Garland's part, was to include names and backgrounds on each of the characters, which not only allow the audience to connect with the characters a bit, but also reinforce the film's main theme of the human tendency and penchant for self-destruction. In the novel, the characters do not know anything about one another — even each other's names — and they only refer to each other by title, such as biologist or psychologist. Also, certain characters' motives in the novel are abandoned in the film adaptation, which allows the film's narrative to tread a wholly new path.