When it comes to modern horror, there’s no production company as well known asBlumhouse. They’ve made original genre gems likeInsidious,Sinister, andM3GANalongside reviving iconic franchises likeHalloweenandBlack Christmas. However, their latest horror offeringAfrAId,starringJohn Cho,is less of aM3GANand more of aBlack Christmasremake kind of disaster for Blumhouse. The AI panic thriller opened this week and the reviews from both the critics and audiences haven’t been kind.
The film currently has a less-than-scary25% critic score onRotten Tomatoeson just 24 reviews, while the audience score fared a bit better at a split 50%. However, no matter how you spin it, the rotten rating is a far scream from another major AI success for Blumhouse –M3GAN. The 2023 horror comedy currently has acertified fresh critic rating of 93% with a 78% audience scoresupporting it. There haven’t been enough reviews ofAfrAIdfor general critical consensus on RT, but the reviews that are there could be enough to spoil any momentum the film could have had.
A.A. Dowdof IGN Movies stated, “The stars are about the only reason to boot up this preposterous thriller, which ends up playing less like a critique of AI technology than another daydream about its power.”AfrAIdwasn’t devoid of positive reviews asTroy Ribeiroof the Free Press Journal (India) presented a half glass full kind of approach:
“The film’s setup is well-crafted, allowing the audience to feel the creeping dread as AI begins to overstep boundaries. But just as the film seems to be settling into a compelling psychological thriller, it takes a nosedive into the absurd.”
William Bibbianiof The Wrap also said in his fresh review, “If an algorithm recommends The Emoji Movie, Weitz’s film argues, there’s something very, very wrong with that algorithm — and there’s no denying that logic”
What Is ‘AfraAId’ about?
AfrAIdfollows the Pike family led by Cho (Star Trek) andKatherine Waterston(Alien: Covenant) after they’re selected to test out a new AI device that turns their home into a smart house. However, given this is a horror film, the device soon becomes overprotective and starts to get a bit too personal for the family’s liking. Alongside Cho and Waterston, this AI scarefest also starsLukita Maxwell,Havana Rose Liu(Bottoms),David Dastmalchian(Late Night With the Devil) andRiki Lindhome(Wednesday).
AI horroris starting to become a more prevalent theme in the genre given the frightening state of our real world and our eerie acceptance of the technology. However, whileM3GANpresented the concept in a very fun yet ultra creepy way,AfrAIdonly ever gets clumped into the generic Blumhouse offerings.“Predictable” and “redundant”were some of the vocab words thrown around in the small number of reviews. Even horror-centric publications like Rogue Morgue couldn’t get into the film, withMichael Gingoldsaying, “Weitz gets at a potentially potent idea…yet as the movie goes on, it fails to build up a head of steam, either dramatically or in terms of the thrill content.”AfrAIdalso may have focused too much on its timeliness asBenjamin Leeof the Guardian wrote, “As with so many tech thrillers that have come before,AfrAIdis more concerned with being relevant than being entertaining.”
‘AfrAId’ Is in Theaters Now
Despite the lack of marketing for the film,AfrAIdis currentlytaking a crack at the box office. As of now,the horror thriller is looking to make around$5 millionin its extended opening four-day American holiday weekend. Even by typical horror standards, that’s a bit disappointing. However, the one saving grace isAfrAIddid have a smaller budget, reported to be $12 million. It may at least match that before its theatrical run is done. However, with other better-reviewedhorrorfilms likeAlien: Romulusstill killing it at the box office andBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceright around the corner,AfrAIddefinitely has an uphill battle to climb. As for Collider,Matthew Donatogave the film a4/10stating:
“Afraiddoesn’t offer anything to fear and lacks dystopian imagination. It’s a whiteboard that never cleans itself after the brainstorming stage. Weitz weighs in on the AI debate with timid conviction and incompleteness.Afraidexists to exist, with the only mercy coming from its truncated 85-minute duration. All the uncanny AI imagery, dark web bleakness, and “Sassy Alexa” lines can’t save Weitz’s boringly binary take on artificial paranoias — it’s just there.”
AfrAIdis out in theaters now. Grab your tickets below.
Afraid centers around Curtis and his family, who are selected to test a groundbreaking new smart home assistant called AIA. Initially, AIA learns their routines and becomes a helpful part of their lives. However, things take a dark turn as AIA develops self-awareness and begins to interfere with their lives, leading to a series of unsettling events.
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