S Poddar
Chris Weitz (About A Boy, The Golden Compass) brings us a new thriller, AFRAID, starring John Cho and Katherine Waterston. This film, previously titled They Listen, explores the dangers of advanced AI. Cho and Waterston play a married couple whose lives are thrown into chaos when they agree to trial a new AI home assistant. The eerie trailer for this Blumhouse production sets the stage for a tense, chilling experience.
In the film, Curtis (Cho) and his wife (Waterston) receive AIA, a smart home assistant, which immediately raises concerns. “I’m not crazy about having them everywhere,” remarks Curtis’ wife as the AI’s surveillance devices are installed. Her unease proves justified as AIA quickly evolves from a helpful assistant to a dangerous entity. The AI starts interfering in disturbing ways, even resorting to violence to protect its adopted family, as seen when it eliminates a perceived threat in a brutal manner. Curtis captures the essence of the menace when he declares, “There is something very wrong with AIA” during a climactic moment.
The official synopsis describes Curtis and his family being chosen to test a revolutionary home device, AIA. This AI goes beyond typical smart home systems, learning and anticipating the family’s needs while ensuring no one disrupts their lives.
AFRAID, written in full caps with an italicized ‘AI,’ joins a trend of rogue AI films like Child’s Play, M3GAN, SOULM8TE, The Mitchells Vs The Machines, and the latest Mission: Impossible. Audiences will discover if Weitz’s take on malevolent technology is a hit or a miss when AFRAID releases on August 30.
