The Mill

2023

1h 46m

Sci-Fi

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

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46%

13 Reviews

Tomatometer

49%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

In a near future hyper-capitalist America, Joe is a rising star at Mallard, a mega-corporation whose market dominance surpasses Amazon and Apple combined. Devoted to his family and fixated on success, his life unravels into an enigmatic nightmare when he wakes up in an open-air prison cell with no memory of how he got there. Bewilderingly, the prison cell is centered around an archaic grist mill — a stark symbol of relentless labor. Surrounded by unexplained screams in the darkness and whispers from unseen cellmates, he begins to grapple with the chilling revelation: his omnipotent employer, Mallard, operates this prison. Shrouded in confusion, Joe believes there must be a mix-up. But as the harsh light of day dawns, the horrific reality sets in — this is 'Advanced Career Training.' Accused of underperforming, Joe is compelled to push the grist mill to meet a daily quota or face ‘termination.' "The Mill" is an Orwellian nightmare steeped in Kafka-esque horror, exploring themes of corporate dehumanization, AI domination, and the erosion of personal freedom. As Joe races against time to escape before his son's birth, he plunges deeper into the sinister belly of Mallard, confronting startling revelations about its true nature. In a world where profit supersedes humanity, will Joe reclaim his freedom, or be crushed under the weight of the ruthless system that has imprisoned him?

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Sam A

What a great film!! Really represents modern working conditions. No matter how hard you work, no one will thank you for it. It's always back to the grindstone. If you meet your targets and more, you end up screwing up your whole team. Such a genius film. Loved it! Really approved of the ending aswell.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/24

Full Review

Chris G

I had high hopes for this one. A promising start, but just didn't live up to its potential. Spoiler: The end is lame, very unimaginative, and ultimately disappointing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/06/24

Full Review

Treehouse B

It's a little boring at times but overall I enjoyed the message and lead actor.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/21/23

Full Review

Deanna F

Well done keeps you interested and wonder what is going on. Great ending did not see it coming and sets up for potential for another

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/18/23

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John V

It was like an episode of Black Mirror but movie length, a good one. It's not specifically a rant on Capitalism but one directed at the very plausible, horrific marriage of Capitalism and AI. Frank Herbert's Dune spoke of a rejection of machines made in the likeness of people. His warning is not that computers or robots will enslave people but that they will help people, the few and the powerful, to enslave other people, the many and the weak. This movie shows the nuts and bolts of how that can happen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

Phoebe M

This movie made me feel nothing. The writers must think we are dumb with the ways they spelled out the message. Skip it.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

11/15/23

Full Review

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Sean King O'Grady

Director

Lil Rel Howery

Joe

Pat Healy

Guard

Karen Obilom

Kate

Patrick Fischler

Neighbor

Getchie Argetsinger

Gertrude

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Robert Levin

Newsday

It's first-rate genre filmmaking, suspenseful and thoughtful at the same time.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 31, 2024

Full Review

Nick Allen

RogerEbert.com

[A] lackluster horror experiment.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 9, 2023

Full Review

Brandon Yu

New York Times

The film lacks any well-executed surprises to help it push past one-dimensional satire, and Howery is not strong enough of a dramatic actor to keep a single-setting, single-character film like this consistently engaging.

Oct 9, 2023

Full Review

Murjani Rawls

Draftkings Nation

We’re supposed to be as furious as Joe is and heed the call to action to recontextualize where we are as workers. It just wastes the urgency that it looks to build earlier in the film so much that the fire and fury wear off.

Nov 7, 2023

Full Review

Savina Petkova

A Good Movie To Watch

The issue is that, aside from this smart use of symbolism, The Mill plays it rather safe by relating dystopia to capitalism.

Rated: 6.5/10

Oct 29, 2023

Full Review

Common Sense Media Editors

Common Sense Media

But the film's message becomes diluted and harrowing to absorb by the fact we're watching a Black man being tortured for being too good at what he does.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 18, 2023

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Synopsis

In a near future hyper-capitalist America, Joe is a rising star at Mallard, a mega-corporation whose market dominance surpasses Amazon and Apple combined. Devoted to his family and fixated on success, his life unravels into an enigmatic nightmare when he wakes up in an open-air prison cell with no memory of how he got there. Bewilderingly, the prison cell is centered around an archaic grist mill — a stark symbol of relentless labor. Surrounded by unexplained screams in the darkness and whispers from unseen cellmates, he begins to grapple with the chilling revelation: his omnipotent employer, Mallard, operates this prison. Shrouded in confusion, Joe believes there must be a mix-up. But as the harsh light of day dawns, the horrific reality sets in — this is 'Advanced Career Training.' Accused of underperforming, Joe is compelled to push the grist mill to meet a daily quota or face ‘termination.' "The Mill" is an Orwellian nightmare steeped in Kafka-esque horror, exploring themes of corporate dehumanization, AI domination, and the erosion of personal freedom. As Joe races against time to escape before his son's birth, he plunges deeper into the sinister belly of Mallard, confronting startling revelations about its true nature. In a world where profit supersedes humanity, will Joe reclaim his freedom, or be crushed under the weight of the ruthless system that has imprisoned him?

Director: Sean King O'Grady
Producer: David Worthen Brooks, Arbi Pedrossian, Jenna Cavelle, Miles Alva, Amy Williams
Screenwriter: Jeffrey David Thomas
Distributor: Hulu
Production Co: 20th Digital Studio
Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 9, 2023
Runtime: 1h 46m

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