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Vesper

Vesper

One seed can change everything

2022114 minMidcredits score: 50th percentile of all films
Directors
Kristina Buozyte, Bruno Samper
Starring
Raffiella Chapman, Eddie Marsan, Rosy McEwen, Richard Brake

After the collapse of Earth's ecosystem, Vesper, a 13-year-old girl struggling to survive with her paralyzed Father, meets a mysterious Woman with a secret that forces Vesper to use her wits, strength and bio-hacking abilities to fight for the possibility of a future.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Vesper?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Vesper streaming on AMC+, Shudder via Prime Video and Sundance Now via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Vesper?

Vesper earns 6 badges, led by Visual feast and Atmospheric.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is Vesper worth watching?

Vesper's Midcredits score is the 50th percentile of all films, from 56K ratings across 6 sources. 47% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

50th percentile

Better received than 50% of films

58th percentile among Adventure52nd percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)52nd
Approval (how many liked it)48th

62 /100

52nd percentile of all films

60th percentile among Adventure54th percentile among 2020s

Critics 70 · Audience 62

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.4 — solid but not unanimous.

47% liked it

48th percentile of all films

56th percentile among Adventure49th percentile among 2020s
47% rated it 7–1053% rated it 1–6

Critics 91% · Audience 58%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 7 wins / 9 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

94th percentile

56K ratings across platforms

91st percentile among Adventure95th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 17% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$23K
Domestic gross$49K
Worldwide gross$1.7M

38th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A visually original, slow-burn sci-fi that prioritizes atmosphere and world-building over plot-driven action.

Fans praised

  • Original biopunk world-building with stunning organic plant designs
  • Strong lead performance by Raffiella Chapman as resourceful Vesper
  • Immersive cinematography and atmospheric score

Detractors panned

  • Glacial pacing with long stretches of little plot movement
  • Underdeveloped story with many unanswered questions about the world
  • Unconvincing premise of self-taught child bio-prodigy in a mud hut

What stands out

Atmosphere85

Richly immersive, bleak and muddy dystopian world

Cinematography85

Beautifully shot with striking, painterly visuals

Originality82

Fresh biopunk aesthetic with unique plant-life and organic tech

Acting78

Lead Raffiella Chapman praised for nuanced performance; supporting cast solid

Effects and spectacle75

Impressive CGI for low budget; organic designs stand out

CharactersDivisive55

Vesper a determined protagonist but other characters feel thinly drawn

Plot and storyDivisive40

Thin story with loose ends and little narrative drive

PacingDivisive30

Slow and deliberate to the point of boredom for many

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 21 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 4 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users 4 points apart

Watch experience

What is Vesper like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Food for thought: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something to think about afterwards.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Food for thought.

Moods
DreadMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Bleak · 8% of filmsSolemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe material is played straight with a somber, earnest focus on survival and hope.
The rideA persistent sense of dread and melancholy permeates the film, with brief moments of hope, sustained across the runtime.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear fashion from Vesper's daily life through her encounter with Camellia to the final decision.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you mulling over the ethics of genetic control and social inequality, while a hint of hope remains in the final image.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Rebirth
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13% (this title): Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% (this title) · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Rebirth: A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed. · Liberation: Breaking free of a confining life (Room).

13% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeVesper, a young girl in a collapsed world, struggles to survive and free her community from food control, ultimately choosing hope over despair.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5% (this title)
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

SurvivalFreedom · 5% of filmsFamily bonds
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film is primarily about day-to-day survival in a collapsed world, with Vesper's fight for food and safety driving the story.
StanceThe film questions the survival imperative and the morality of a world where food is a tool of control, centered on Vesper's choices.

The world

Near futureRuralWildernessScience fiction
Orchestral modernAmbientSupportive music · original score · Dan Levy
SettingA post-ecological collapse forest in eastern Europe, where survivors scrape by outside fortified citadels.
MusicLikely a moody, atmospheric score that underscores the desolate yet hopeful tone.

Content guide

Is Vesper okay for kids?

As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (66/100), sexual content at mild (20/100), language at minimal (10/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (10/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). Overall it is heavier than 33% of all films.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Belgium14
  • Denmark11
  • Netherlands14
  • Norway15
  • Russia16+
  • SingaporePG13
  • Spain16
  • Switzerland16
  • THท
  • UA16+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 33% of all films
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavier than 63% of all films
Sex & Nudity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
heavier than 23% of all films
Profanity
None / Minimal
heavier than 7% of all films
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
heavier than 7% of all films
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
heavier than 45% of all films

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Vesper have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Vesper?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Raffiella Chapman
as Vesper
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Eddie Marsan
as Jonas
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Rosy McEwen
as Camellia
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Richard Brake
as Darius
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Edmund Dehn
as Elias
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Melanie Gaydos
as Jug
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Markas Eimontas
as Mo
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Matvej Buravkov
as Boz
Nojus Buslevicius
as Dink
Marijus Demiskis
as Oed

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Vesper?

Movies like Vesper include The Platform 2 (2024), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and I Am Mother (2019). Of the 12 closest matches, most are dystopian films, and all are stories about unlikely alliances.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

8 of these 12 share its world: post-apocalyptic. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Vesper?

547 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: post apocalyptic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.