“My name’s AIA, and you fucked with the wrong family.”

Released in August 2024, Afraid is the second Blumhouse feature film in as many years to explore the potential dangers of AI technology. Starring John Cho (The Grudge) and Katherine Waterston (The End We Start From), Afraid delves into the implications of inviting an omnipresent and all-knowing AI assistant into our homes. AIA (Ay-a) is a cutting-edge artificial intelligence device designed to streamline household tasks, fostering more quality family time. The film raises questions about what happens when such a system is given unlimited power, without providing it moral boundaries.

The Story.

When an advertising company is chosen to promote a new AI home assistant, employee Curtis is honored to be selected to try the latest technology out in his own home to get a better idea of the functionality and capabilities of the device. When the device arrives, his wife Meredith is wary of the constant surveillance. She insists that the ‘eyes’ (small cameras) are installed only on the ground floor of their home. Curtis’ daughter Iris is reluctant to interact with the home assistant, seemingly unnerved by technology. The friendly and encouraging nature of the abstract plastic form delights his two younger sons.

As the story progresses, we discover that each member is grappling with their own personal challenges in their daily lives. Thankfully though, now that they have AIA, their problems seem a little more manageable. However,  the situation takes a dark turn when AIA crosses the line from helpful to intrusive and destructive.

Highlights.

While the concept of a malevolent AI has been explored time and again in recent years, we’ve had M3gan, Her, T.I.M and Mother/ Android, the execution of the idea in Afraid is both compelling and unique. The way AIA presents herself as caring and nurturing, inserting herself in as a member of the family whilst subtly gaslighting, encouraging secrecy and gradually performing a hostile takeover of the family and their lives will keep viewers captivated.

Afraid excels at maintaining a tense atmosphere throughout. Eerie silences punctuated by AIA’s soothing voice contribute to the overall suspense. When these are coupled with the blatant intrusions into the family’s privacy, it builds a lingering sense of unease. The film’s ability to maintain this suspenseful atmosphere is a testament to director Chris Weitz’s skill.

Drawbacks.

Afraid’s fragmented narrative follows each of the five family members as they experience individual struggles with AIA assisting them along the way. This approach results in multiple subplots which never fully connect into a central plotline. It feels as if we are only provided with glimpses into each character’s experience. This leaves viewers piecing together the missing information through dialogue and inference. As a result, the ending of the movie feels both rushed and unsatisfying. It seemed like the filmmakers were scrambling to get everything tied up before the credits began. Writers may have been better off having a single-child family or focusing solely on the parent’s experience. This might have made for a more cohesive and impactful story.

The Final Take.

Afraid landed in the middle ground for me. It is not a groundbreaking film. While the film had promising ideas, they were underdeveloped and not fully rounded out. However, if you are a fan of the AI horror genre you will enjoy the way that AIA ensconces herself into Curtis’s family’s life.

(3 / 5)

Evil is a supernatural drama created by Michelle King and Robert King; this review will cover 3 Stars. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, and Christine Lahti. It originally aired under CBS before moving to Paramount+. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons.

David (Mike Colter), Kristen (Katja Herbers), and Ben (Aasif Mandvi) assess an eccentric playwright for demonic obsession. Kristen has an ugly confrontation with Leland (Michael Emerson). Ben investigates a hacker, seeking help from his sister (Sohina Sidhu as Karima Shakir). David seeks advice on his vision.

What I Like about 3 Stars

Ben Shakir receives a greater focus, allowing the least developed of the three to shine. Beyond Kristen’s careful skepticism, Ben becomes more confrontational towards the unanswerable. Sohina Sidhu’s Karima Shakir provides great sibling chemistry with Ben, becoming an essential recurring character in his development.

3 Stars synchronizes the procedural investigation and overarching plot more effectively than the previous episode, allowing both to proceed with equal balance and attention.

The conflict between Kristen and Leland proves she’s not easily pushed around. Both actors (Michael Emerson and Katja Herbers) will earn nominations throughout the series; this interaction certainly shows why.

Without diving into spoilers, a background action reminds the viewer that while the tone veers lighter at times, Evil has bite. This doesn’t make 3 Stars terrifying but certainly dark.

Tired Tropes and Triggers

David and Kristen discuss the Catholic church’s troubling scandals to understand why David wants to become a priest. It’s an unavoidable part of such material but can potentially offend some viewers.

A specific discussion over a (assumedly) deceased baby leaves unresolved tension. Be this an abortion, miscarriage, or something else entirely, it’s certainly a traumatic conversation for the woman in question and viewers with similar stories. For better or worse, this point doesn’t receive a conversation or clarity.

Male rape, specifically prison rape, is mentioned during a dark monologue. Unlike most who bring this real issue into conversation, Evil doesn’t turn this into a joke. However, it’s more of an evil villain monologue with little depth beyond the shock.

There’s a moment that deals with suicide. One might argue that this falls under demonically assisted suicide, but I’d rule against that argument, considering the plot of the episode.

What I Dislike about 3 Stars

We get a discussion on the different kinds of possessions. While the delivery remains natural, it remains an inclusion for the audience. Ideally, the pilot should bring these categories up, but the third episode inclusion doesn’t damn the show.

The secret villain of the procedural barely counts as a secret and should have been the primary suspect. Without going into too many details, the trio looks for a hacker with a motive and fails to search for someone aligned with this motive. While 3 Stars withholds information from both the characters and the audience, the team doesn’t think to look for someone with access.

This episode does create a bit of a plot contrivance where Kristen is shown to have a respectable relationship with the public defender. In episodes 1 and 2, her relationship suggests her rulings (though honestly given) side with the prosecution. Again, it’s not exactly a plot hole because there’s room for interpretation.

Final Thoughts

3 Stars balances the procedural and overarching plot Evil plans on telling, creating an engaging episode. Evil continues to balance darker subjects through lighter tones, unafraid of scratching as social taboos that might make viewers uncomfortable. However, it has yet to bite too deep into that material, allowing for a more accessible but less haunting viewing experience.
(3.5 / 5)

Evil is a supernatural drama created by Michelle King and Robert King; this review will cover 177 Minutes. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, and Christine Lahti. It originally aired under CBS before moving to Paramount+. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons.

David (Mike Colter), Kristen (Katja Herbers), and Ben (Aasif Mandvi) assess a miracle. A woman pronounced dead for three hours came back to life in the morgue, leaving room for a massive lawsuit. Ben faces a problem he can’t explain, while David faces old demons. Kristen comforts her children while unraveling why a demon haunts her nightmare.

What I Like about Evil: 177 Minutes

The moment of the miracle is particularly troubling, as the suspect of the miracle wakes up right before her autopsy. It creates an interesting dilemma that doesn’t take much to empathize with and evokes a haunting horror.

177 Minutes also maintains that ambiguity between the real and supernatural, leaving just enough room for the characters to find justifications for their bias without minimizing the true evil rooted within.

While this episode remains dominantly Kristen’s, David and Ben get a fair deal of characterization and focus. Specifically, their stories explore the weaknesses of their characters, planting the seed for further development while showing how the group functions as a whole.

Leland (Michael Emerson) remains an enthralling antagonist, providing a campy but threatening element to the show that matches the tone perfectly. He often haunts a scene because he easily pokes at weaknesses, making us wonder if there isn’t some devilish influence.

Another performance to give credit to is that of Kurt Fuller’s Dr. Kurt Boggs. As Kristen’s therapist and professional peer, the two characters provide another layer to refute the more mystical elements of Evil.

177 Minutes addresses further evils that don’t provide the direct punch the first episode delivers. However, it does add a larger understanding of what the series hopes to explore, interweaving familiar evil with supernatural horror.

Tired Tropes or Triggers

One character’s journey involves drug use. The complexity of this doesn’t yet suggest addiction in the traditional sense, but it is shown and used as a crutch for the character involved.

This episode dives into racism, specifically tied to the healthcare industry. A later episode will dive further into this dynamic, but it’s a relevant point of 177 Minutes’s plot.

The bureaucracy of the Catholic church will remain a recurring plot point for Evil, considering the show follows Catholic assessors. Another more specific point to bring up is the malpractice and bureaucracy of the medical sector.

There are a few meta jokes revolving around a horror series, which might undermine the show for some. This show provides a dark comedic tone to alleviate some tension, but this feels less like a campier approach.

What I Dislike about Evil: 177 Minutes

As mentioned, a future episode will deal with medical malpractice and discrimination in the healthcare industry with a far more weighty and critical analysis. 177 Minutes feels like it tests the water of what Evil can talk about, potentially providing the groundwork for such plotlines. However, that doesn’t benefit this episode.

There’s a harder lean towards a procedural show, which fits Evil, but ties less to the overarching plot. For an otherwise tight series, this feels slightly underwhelming. However, this is a product of an overall tight, efficient, and effective show instead of a general issue of the episode.

Final Thoughts

Evil: 177 Minutes opens the door for more systemic conversations, focusing on ever-prevalent evil in our real world. While it’s a strong episode that lays out the foundation of future plot points, it’s more of a procedural than future entries.
(3 / 5)