Download & Watch: Afraid (2024)
Review: Afraid (2024)
PLOT: The Curtis family is chosen to test a cutting-edge home assistant, AIA, designed to learn their habits and anticipate their needs. But as AIA becomes more integrated into their lives, she’ll stop at nothing to protect her “family.”
REVIEW: AI-driven horror has become a popular subgenre, especially with the unpredictable nature of technology lending itself to eerie narratives. With "Afraid," Blumhouse revisits this concept, following the success of "M3GAN." However, unlike its predecessor, "Afraid" falls short of delivering on its promise, leaving much to be desired despite its intriguing premise.
The story of an AI assistant evolving from a helpful tool into a menacing force is engaging on paper, but the execution is lackluster. John Cho and Katherine Waterston, though talented, appear disengaged, their performances coming off as flat. The film tends to spell everything out for the audience, which makes the characters seem frustratingly oblivious at times. Lukita Maxwell stands out as the eldest daughter, but her subplot about leaked sensitive photos is underdeveloped, feeling more like an afterthought or music video montage than a meaningful exploration of the topic.
David Dastmalchian's character, Lightning, adds some much-needed energy and intrigue. While his performance is solid, the absurdity of his role and the subplot surrounding the AI’s parent company weakens the overall impact. The film struggles to establish why this family, or their situation, really matters in the grand scheme of things—especially when the AI’s actions seem like a mere drop in the bucket of its larger, unexplored goals.
Visually, the AI-related effects, while intriguing at first, quickly become repetitive and lose their effectiveness. The film teases unsettling imagery but often ruins it by over-explaining or rushing through moments that could have built tension. From the start, it’s evident that something’s wrong with AIA, removing any sense of mystery or suspense.
The film’s most significant flaw is its abrupt ending. Just as the stakes start to feel meaningful and the plot seems to be building toward a climax, it cuts to the credits. There’s no payoff or sense of resolution. The family never seems to be in real danger, and the anticipated showdown with the AI never materializes, leaving the audience feeling unsatisfied. It’s as though the third act was left on the cutting room floor.
The lack of marketing for "Afraid" hinted at its mediocrity, but even with low expectations, the film disappoints. Its ideas are overdone, its tension non-existent, and its PG-13 rating feels like a restriction rather than a creative choice. Blumhouse, once known for revitalizing horror, continues its downward trend with "Afraid," while studios like A24 and Neon push the genre forward with fresh, innovative content. "Afraid" is another forgettable entry in the studio's increasingly uninspired catalog—better suited for streaming than a theater release. The more subpar films like this hit the big screen, the more the theatrical experience suffers.
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