User reviews

This thriller seems to plod along without super strong thrills, but its goal is to make the audience think, which I felt it accomplished. Heavy on symbolism and strong performances helped me enjoy this maybe a bit more than some of the other reviewers, I don't know and I don't want to presume. Lil Rel, whom I had only seen previously in Get Out, sheds the comic relief role of that film for a nuanced lead in this one and is effective as he carries the movie visually with most interactions with other characters being strictly vocal. I would recommend it for those who prefer atmospheric movies, and those who prefer action should probably steer clear.

If you are old enough to remember Schartzeneger in Conan, you'll remember him pushing a similar wheel with 3 other men and then through the magic of a Hollywood montage he became huge over time and pushed it alone. Lil Rey has smaller arms than the kid from Conan (bigger tits though) and when he started pushing it he couldn't even budge it. He had to throw all of his weight onto it 3 times to get it to move an inch or two. Somehow, he worked 16 hours and made 5 laps.... Is that believable? No, but even worse, if you've ever worked that hard at something you are not used too, you know that the next several days are hell. Aches, pain, cramps and he got 1 bottle of water a day. Somehow, he does 100 revolutions though, then 370, then over 700. I'm guessing none of the writers can do a single push up as they know nothing about how the human body works. Not the worst movie ever but what is irritating is if they showed this to a kid in 9th grade who has worked out before, that kid could have done a quick 30 minute re-write that would have improved the story immensely. This film is just watchable, if that's why you make movies, congrats, you did the bare minimum.

This is the 1st review I'm leaving, because this is just awful, and I watch a LOT of movies. Also, I'm not picky, as find movies such as Sharknado and VelociPastor mildly entertaining, so my standards are pretttty low to say the least.

This so boring, I actually checked multiple times to see how much longer was left. The premise is somewhat original, and they could have done sooo much more with it, but wow, this was ultimately beyond the worst.

You expect there to be some "big" twist at the end, and if there was, even after the sitting through most painstakingly slow movie ever, it would be somewhat redeeming, but the "twist" is meh and pretty predictable, and definitely not worth it. I cannot express enough about how much I disliked this movie.

There is nothing really original in the background or overall structure of THE MILL. We've seen the setup before, many times. But hey, the story is boss and, equally, so is the telling of the story.

This is a great little story, and it's well told.

The lead character is annoying, but as things go on you begin to suspect his irritating abrasiveness hides a plot purpose. In fact you begin to suspect lots of things.

And that's good mystery. That's GOOD writing!

We are in the middle of a writing desert, which nobody seems to have an explanation for. We are drowning in boring-recycled-style over any kind of substance.

This makes things like THE MILL a pleasant relief.

If you like the original BLACK MIRROR (when it was good and Charlie Brooker was on fire with his creative control), you'll recognise and like THE MILL. I'm sure of it.

If I could criticise it, it's too long and the ending is too drawn out, but I can't go into details without spoiling it. Nothing wrecks the story.

A solid 7 in my book.

"The Mill" is a cinematic gem that had me glued to my couch from start to finish. This suspenseful film masterfully unfolds a gripping storyline, gradually revealing its secrets, and culminating in a breathtaking plot twist that will leave you utterly astonished.

From the very beginning, "The Mill" captivates the audience with its intriguing premise. Set in a small, seemingly peaceful room/building, the film immerses you in a world where secrets lurk behind every corner and wall which make t he atmosphere be thick with tension. It certainly gave me "The Platform" (Netflix) vibes!

The characters in "The Mill" are well-crafted and our protagonist, Joe, did a great job in his role expressing different emotions.

One of the movie's strongest aspects is its pacing. The plot unravels with precision, divulging key details and clues at the perfect moments. This gradual revelation of the story's secrets is what makes "The Mill" so enthralling. It keeps you guessing, piecing together the puzzle as the narrative cleverly unfolds.

In conclusion, "The Mill" is an exceptional thriller that will keep you riveted to your couch throughout its runtime. Its suspenseful storytelling, well-developed characters, and jaw-dropping plot twist make it a must-watch for fans of the genre. Prepare to be enthralled, surprised, and utterly captivated by this cinematic tour de force.

It's Huluween made it seem like this movie was gone be good and it was straight trash, garbage, BASURA!! It had me at psychological thriller but lost me when I hit play. There was NOTHING thrilling about it. It feels like when I watched Adulterers on Netflix, but even that was better than this. I hope Lil Rel career don't plummet after this. Still love him tho. The slowest burn I ever watched, then when you think the plot twist was coming out was just as bad. The "plot twist" was the most exciting (using that term very loosely) part and it came at the end of the movie. I wish I could give this a zero tbh.

If you've seen the episode of Black Mirror titled 'Fourteen Million Merits', then you've seen this movie already. If you haven't, and are considering watching this movie, watch Black Mirror instead to save yourself the time difference.

The themes are simply not to put work before family and warning against giving your all for a company that sees you as disposable. There is a very ham fisted theme of consumerism, as the main character has to suffer through advertisements playing in his cell, despite him possessing no buying power in that position. So why are there ads? Very little logic there.

Had no idea what this movie was when I fired it up, and thought it was just going to be a straight up saw or cube genre horror flick. Its not far off from that, but its different. For those that have experienced being middle management at large growth corporations (in my case hi-tech) and have been subjected to their tactics, with management trees, illusion of choice, moving targets, unobtainable goals, and performance plans/metrics, (they left out ESG, DEI, volunteering, and encouraged donations) will relate to what this movie is relaying through its bleak surface level metaphor. Others will say, just leave or work somewhere else but also dont understand the golden handcuff stuff that makes it lucrative to continue to give them the best years of your lives in spite of the long hours and sleepless frustration. Either way, I thought it was simply demonstrated in an entertaining way with bleak atmosphere and a good caricature lead to transfer the emotion and frustration. Now, back to work.

Predictable movie with a predictable ending. The lead seems to be doing a Kevin Hart how to act in a movie impression. May I suggest the movies, Exam 2009 or The Circle 2015 for a more entertaining 'Black Mirror' experience.

It is not terrible Howery gives a standout performance as Joe, a man who is forced to confront his own mortality and fight for his humanity. The film's single-location setting and limited cast create a claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere. The Mill is not an easy film to watch, but it is a thought-provoking and timely one. The film explores important themes of corporate dehumanization, AI domination, and the erosion of personal freedom.

A wildly misguided and not at all subtle critique of capitalism, or "the grind" (like a mill. See not very subtle). Is anyone really stupid enough to believe this showing is even remotely related to actual capitalism? A trillion-dollar company, calling literal slaves their "employees", can do anything they want because the employee "didn't read the fine print" when signing their introduction paperwork. This director is one of those people who think modern day employees are slaves because they have to work for money instead of being handed everything for free. That even though the employees willing volunteered to work for the company and can leave at any time, the company is evil for making the person work. These kind people think of themselves as actual slaves, like the man in this movie, and there's nothing they can do to escape. That companies who make their employees work are literal slave masters forcing people to work so they aren't killed. Nevermind how incredibly obvious the metaphor, it's also just extremely inaccurate. However, I gave it 2 stars instead of just 1 because there is something to said about quotas and how there are definitely companies that do not reward employees that work hard and therefore give no incentive to continue working hard. That is a legitimate critique. Also, the ending was absolutely terrible. All that aside, Lil Rey cannot carry a movie by himself. He is comedic relief and that is where he shines. Also, what business manager working for a trillion-dollar company wears Nikes with their suit? I'm just not impressed at all.

This movie basically portrays the future of AI for dumb people. It's like a really bad version of The Platform or Squid Games where a bulky Kevin Hart who claims to be super intelligent, fails at every turn to try and convince the audience he's a thinking human being for 1 hour and 46 excuciatingly boring minutes. For these kind of movies to work, they either need to bring something new or display a level of intelligence. Squid Games wouldn't work if it was just cow slaughter. I mean, what's the point of cheering for someone to survive if they're just going to do the same mistakes all over again? This is as bad as a train wreck could be!

I have no idea why this film was even made because it is/was truly dismal entertainment that did not entertain me. The films subject matter and the one place scenery setting, does however serve the dismal story very well. I think perhaps that a good many people will not last through this film as it will remind them all too much of their own dismally dreary working lives, in a similar lack-less blood sucking company's that employ them.

That is the only thing about the film that is a good point but, it could have been told in about 40-60 minutes. You don't need an overly long drawn out film to show you how working for a company or corporation is bad for your health, family life, social life and your well being.

We are all slaves to the system because nobody has the guts to fight the system in one outcry of millions of voices and, this film kind of points it out to the viewer!

The Mill isn't a bad movie but it was a bit too monotone to be standing out. Everything, well almost everything, is shot in the same place with basically just one actor (Lil Rel Howery) talking to other actors we don't see. There are some intriguing moments but it's never really suspenseful. The ending was surprising, not bad actually, but it couldn't make this movie stand out from the rest. The idea was there, so it was a bit refreshing, and the acting was not bad but movies with just one actor and one location are rarely really good. I can't say I regret watching it, even though I found it a tiny bit too long.

There is a plan, but its implementation... What kind of test is it if the subject loses control? What kind of artificial intelligence is this that does not understand and does not see? And if these questions remain unanswered, then how was the author going to reveal the topic? What question did the author ask here? If the question is not formulated, then there will be no answer. And if there is no answer, then why all this at all?

Let's remember the plot - the character performs a cyclic action, from the beginning of the plot to the climax - can this interest the viewer? No Maybe the inner feelings are very deep? No And now let's ask ourselves the question: "What is going on there anyway?" - there remains only a cyclical monotonous action and an unresolved conflict! Will you be watching this?

The story reflects our modern existence, especially regarding the corporate goals that imprison individuals. However, I don't see artificial intelligence as a villain. On the contrary, I believe it has the potential to free humanity from the shackles of repetitive work, paving the way for a more meaningful and creative life. The film explores the idea of being trapped in cycles of work and submission, where, no matter how hard we try to escape, we are kept under control by corporate forces. The narrative involves a dystopia where employees are punished for poor performance, confined in a setting where the terror is psychological. The protagonist experiences this oppression alone, with deep metaphors and an atmosphere that prompts reflection on the purpose of our existence. Even with moments where the plot seems to drag and the excessive use of dream sequences, the acting is brilliant.

The dialogue written for this movie is atrocious. This feels very much like the writer finished his first draft and decided it was good enough. The language is repetitive. There are curse words thrown in nonsensically, which is the hallmark of a terrible writer. It's not done in a Tarantino way that blends naturally with the work. Instead, it's as if the cursing is supposed to do some heavy duty dramatic work, which it doesn't.

People talk like no one talks. They act like no one acts. Everything is just a setup for the plot to move, realistic human responses be damned.

The acting is some of the worst garbage I've seen in a long time. Let's start with the next door neighbor. I get that he's not on camera, but it was a really dumb idea on I assume the director's part to have him record it alone in a sound booth. It sounds like someone in a sound booth running lines. And is this guy an audiobook reader in real life? Because he super enunciates everything, removing him even further from the scene he's supposed to be in.

Then the main character. This actor didn't convey a moment of honesty in the entire picture as far as I could tell. Much like the script told him to, he acted like I can't imagine anyone acting in that situation. Motivation seems so divorced from the human experience, I couldn't wrap my head around what he was trying to portray.

The cinematography was right up there with the poor acting, writing, and directing.

Dark and moody is cool. Dark and I can't see s damn thing isn't. Pink colored lights completely unmotivated made me take notice of the color and took me out of the scene.

The inability to let us get s good look at the main character was an odd choice. Shooting a face in almost complete darkness while having eyeglasses practically glow was unhinged.

Yeah, we're supposed to not know what's going on and be disoriented, but being unable to connect with the main character whose journey we are on is just another element that lead to total disengagement from this film.

This is a must miss.

Happy Huluween, Streamers! Yes, Hulu is back with their Horror/Halloween section of movies for the Halloween Season. One of their offerings piqued my interest based on the main actor and the simple concept, The Mill. This streaming movie features a businessman (Lil Rel Howery) who mysteriously wakes up in an open-air prison cell with only a primitive grinding mill. He's forced to work until he can find a way back before the birth of his first child. Covid type movie hijinks ensue.

As you can tell, this movie really is quite singular and feels like a classic Covid era movie. All we have is Lil Rel and some voice work to get us through about an hour and forty minutes. I like Rel but this isn't really his acting range. Don't get me wrong he does a good job, and the movie really wouldn't have been anything without him. He knows how to act panicked but sometimes it just comes off as whiny! Anyway, the idea is original and semi-frightening. Remind me not to sign any disclosures without reading them again. But really there's not much to the movie other than Rel and they still make us watch for an hour and 40 minutes! I mean have a build-up but come on already.

Simply put, this movie while imaginative lacks imagination. The Mill is literally, and metaphorically, pushed along by the charisma of Lil Rel Howery. That's not enough to make this a movie you have to run to see. Grab a handful of popcorn and check out The Mill to support our guy when you have a chance.

I cannot express my utter disappointment with this movie. The ending was utterly atrocious. The acting was also an abomination - a massive shoutout to Lil Rel Howery whose acting skills are deplorable & difficult to watch at times.

A major factor of the failure of this film is the poorly written story. Like the overall outcome and story was pointless to the fact at the ending, I was like what the even happened this didn't make sense??

Overall, the movie is awfully written as well as the acting that contributes in the failure of the movie all thanks to Lil Rel's awful acting skills who tries so hard to be like Kevin Hart. You failed miserably.

Avoid this film at all costs!

A mill is a device, often a structure, machine or kitchen appliance, that breaks solid materials into smaller pieces by grinding, crushing, or cutting." It is also the best way to describe this movie.

Mill would be a much better movie if in the 106 minutes there were not 212 f bombs posing as actual dialogue. I would hope that even in a situation like this, a Black man's vocabulary would reach beyond the four-letter words that were being thrown around throughout this entire movie. The premise is interesting-like a black mirror episode. In keeping with that rationale, had it been only 60 minutes maybe they would've focused more on writing better dialogue, one more fitting for the story arc. Instead, it seems they spent more time on casting (limited cast) than they did on decent screenwriting.

The Producers took a film with a slightly interesting premise and ground it down to a cursing diatribe that tells more about the writers than it does about what we should take away from the movie.

Typical lock down movie. Utterly boring from the start to finish. Plot was obvious after 5 minutes. Acting is below average. There is no atmosphere whatsoever. This movie must've been thought up, written, filmed, edited and put out during one weekend at most.

So, a married guy with a pregnant wife works too much , housewife gets sick of it. Man wakes up next to a milling device. Talks to a bloke through a ventilation shaft, has to male so many rotations a day...... and that is basically it. The movie attempts to make you believe that years have passed yet the main characters hair hasn't grown half an inch. It's uninteresting and my only joy was the short running time.