Summary
The dystopian nature of the narrative is similar to a Black Mirror episode from back when Black Mirror was a good show, but the film overall loses momentum halfway to a disappointing ending.
As any self-respecting office worker knows, that first early start after the weekend is usually the worst. Hulu releasing The Mill (2023), a sci-fi horror about the soul-crushing world of corporate quotas, on a Monday, is probably not a coincidence.
The Mill is Sean King O’Grady’s second time directing a full feature, and most of the runtime is a one-man show carried by Lil Rel Howery, who you might recognize from Get Out. As with most direct-to-streaming horror films released in October, my expectations for this one were low. Yet, the film is a surprisingly compelling and well-executed thriller.
The Mill (2023) review and plot summary
Office worker Joe (Howery) wakes up in an open-air concrete cell with a giant mill in the middle. Dazed and confused, he has no recollection of how he got there or why he would be imprisoned.
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Joe is middle management for a giant multinational corporation called Mallard. As the poor soul in the cell next to Joe’s explains, several people are imprisoned in this unspecified location, and they all have to push the giant mill for 16 hours each day. The worker who gets the least amount of rotations gets terminated. And by that, they mean killed.
A cheery computerized voice informs Joe that he’s been locked in as part of his “career training.” While Mallard offers employees unlimited personal days, Joe may have taken one too many, and the algorithm decided to help him get back his professional focus.
Throughout the film, we never see any of the other prisoners. Instead, The Mill centers on Joe and Joe alone as he’s pushing that monstrosity each day while listening to classical music and watching increasingly disturbing commercials, all while trying to meet the quota and hoping to survive long enough to get home to his pregnant wife and eventually meet his new baby.
At first, Joe tries to go above and beyond, exceeding his initial rotations quota of 50. But instead of getting closer to freedom, Joe makes it harder for the other workers to keep up. As soon as the “duck” knows you can work more, it expects more. The dystopian nature of the narrative is similar to a Black Mirror episode from back when Black Mirror was a good show.
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For the most part, the film remains intriguing. Howery gives a strong performance, proving his capabilities beyond the comedy genre. Joe’s desperation and grit to escape his situation are enough to keep you watching until the end.
Creating a full feature where most of the story takes place in one location with one character while keeping it engaging is an ambitious endeavor. As compelling as the premise is, the film loses momentum at the halfway point, and the ending is a disappointment. The script is too forceful with its message and stumbles on the delivery.
Is The Mill (2023) worth your time?
While far from perfect, The Mill is an interesting thriller that may appeal to fans of the aforementioned Black Mirror or even the more recent Severance. It takes the idea of cogs in a soulless corporation and runs with it.
A shorter runtime and a different ending would have turned this into a better movie. But as far as Hulu’s Huluween offerings go, this is among the better ones.
What did you think of The Mill (2023)? Comment below.
