Artificial Intelligence that’s not smart enough!
As a devoted fan of Blumhouse productions, it’s disheartening to witness the string of disappointments they’ve delivered this year, including Night Swim, Imaginary, and now I’m afraid, with AfrAId.
There was an element of scepticism from the start, as this looked like nothing more than a rehashed version of last year’s solid horror/thriller M3gan. However, I held onto the hope that the studio might surprise us with a few things hidden up its sleeve.
Sadly, that hope was unfounded.
AfrAId tackles a timely topic: artificial intelligence. The story revolves around a family chosen to test a new smart home AI called AIA, which gains self-awareness and begins to meddle in their lives.
While the concept has the potential for an engaging narrative, this ultimately falls flat.
Despite hints of an intriguing exploration of AI’s dangers, the film never gains momentum or fully realises its premise. The direction, character arcs, and overall execution leave much to be desired.
Chris Weitz – who has pedigree after penning such movies as Rogue One and About a Boy – serves as both the director and writer on this, but seems to have crafted a project more suited for television rather than the big screen.
Instead of presenting a gripping tale of a loving family confronting an AI menace, viewers are met with a low-budget production that lacks excitement and fails to establish any real stakes.
The characters feel underdeveloped, making it hard to connect with their journey. The actors certainly bring effort and a certain charm, but they can’t elevate the sub-par material.
John Cho (American Pie and Searching) shows promise in his acting evolution, proving once again that he can handle more than just comedy, while Katherine Waterston (Alien: Covenant) deserves even greater recognition, having been underutilised in previous roles such as the Fantastic Beasts movies. But unfortunately they lack chemistry when together on-screen.
And David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad), who recently delivered a strong performance in Late Night With the Devil, feels out of place in a one-dimensional supporting role as the AI’s creator. On a brighter note, Havana Rose Liu truly shines as AIA, providing a captivating voice performance.
But sadly, my gut-feeling tells me that too many voices contributed to the final product, leading to inconsistencies that suggest a ‘chaotic’ production process – as the solid talent in front and behind the camera seem to be ‘winging it’.
Ironically, the result feels as if it were crafted by cliché-spouting AI rather than a thoughtful writer with something compelling to say.
In the end, the smartest thing about Afraid was how it cleverly incorporated the term ‘AI’ into the title.
ESP Rating: 2/5
Mike Clarke
Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough, Out Now
Cast: John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Keith Carradine, David Dastmalchian, Lukia Maxwell, Ashley Romans & Havana Rose Liu
Running Time: 1 Hr 25 Mins
Director: Chris Weitz
Go to www.showcasecinemas.co.uk for all the latest film information & showtimes at Peterborough’s Showcase Cinema De Lux
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