*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*
“I feel like it’s listening to us all the time…”
AFRAID released in theaters on August 30th 2024 and is now available to stream on Demand as of September 17th 2024. The sci-fi horror film stars John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, and David Dastmalchian. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-five minutes.
A marketing executive is selected to take home a new digital device named AIA to organize his family’s life, but when AIA thinks she knows what’s best for his family, she begins to take control of every situation, threatening their safety in the process.
Here is the trailer:
AFRAID channels M3gan in a lot of ways, but its gimmicky plot and cheap scares do little to enhance this viewing experience. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
Talented cast.
I’m always happy to see John Cho in horror films and I thought this film had a pretty recognizable cast, which was a plus. Havana Rose Liu stole the film for me. She is quickly becoming one of my new favorite actresses. I loved her in No Exit and Bottoms. She managed to be charming and eerie at the same time with her portrayal. I just wish she got a better film…
Unfortunately the pros stop here…
The Cons:
Uninspiring plot.
I just recently watched Subservience starring Megan Fox (which also channeled M3gan), but that film was a lot more interesting than AFRAID. I’ve seen too many movies with the AI taking over theme recently and while some have clever takes on it, this film fails to say anything new. The plot felt lazy and that ending was atrocious.
Lack of suspense.
I would have been fine with the overdone plot if this movie was actually scary. Instead it relied on cheesy jump scares, which was beyond frustrating. There was one scene that actually had potential, but it cut away from it before showing us anything that violent or frightening. It just felt like they phoned it in with this film and didn’t really care to put in any real effort here.
So am I in or out?
Unfortunately I’m out on this one…
AFRAID fails to deliver with nothing new to say, but at least Havana Rose Liu ate up every ounce of screen time.
Still better than Night Swim though…
I hope you enjoyed the review and please feel free to share your thoughts on AFRAID in the comments section!
Best,
Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
IN THE CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS, HER NIGHT FROM HELL HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN…
After working the night shift, Ashley becomes entangled in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with a local street gang, forcing her to come up with a plan to survive the night by turning the tables on them.
Ashley must fight for her life and take them out one by one if she wants to make it to morning…
My young adult revenge thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!
Make it Through the Night is available here!
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