“AfrAId” is a Blumhouse horror movie starring John Cho and Katherine Waterston.
Blumhouse Productions leads us once more through the familiar corridors that have solidified its status as a powerhouse in the industry: films that often feature straightforward narratives, which may occasionally border on the predictable, yet consistently achieve commercial success. “AfrAId” doesn’t aspire to revolutionize the genre of science fiction, nor does it aim to astonish us with groundbreaking originality or innovative concepts. Picture a cross between Stanley Kubrick’s HAL and Amazon’s Alexa, and you have a fairly accurate idea of what to expect.
Predictable, perhaps, but undeniably engaging and backed by quality production.
Plot Summary
The story revolves around an employee at a prominent advertising agency who is tasked with testing a cutting-edge device at home: an AI reminiscent of Alexa, but significantly more advanced. This AI learns at an alarming rate, and it isn’t long before it starts making autonomous decisions.
About the Film
“AfrAId” faces a significant hurdle for a science fiction narrative: it doesn’t venture far beyond established boundaries, nor does it envision futuristic worlds that stretch the limits of our imagination. Instead, it introduces an AI that, while more sophisticated, is already somewhat recognizable to us: essentially, a more cunning, intelligent, and malevolent version of Alexa. However, it bears too strong a resemblance to Amazon’s smart home device.
Combine this with HAL, cinema’s pioneering AI that spiraled into psychopathy in “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968), and you end up with a rather basic horror film. Think along the lines of the family-friendly “Poltergeist” (1982) with a classic, almost made-for-TV vibe. Surprises are sparse, but the film is nevertheless a commendable horror production, competently executed with a script that, while highly predictable and somewhat familiar, delivers the kind of straightforward, hassle-free entertainment we occasionally crave.
Our Opinion
A film that is simple and, while highly predictable, is well-crafted. It doesn’t invoke enough fear to make you wary of using AI, nor will it haunt your thoughts late into the night. It’s the sort of movie that offers a single viewing experience, entertains you for its duration, and is easily forgotten shortly thereafter.
