SUBSERVIENCE

In a time where AI is threatening the livelihoods of those who work hard to bring films to life, Hollywood seems fully invested in the trend of making as many films about it as possible. The most obvious choices being made see filmmakers go down the thriller or horror route, and Subservience is the latest in a long line of them.

Struggling father Nick (Michele Morrone) buys a domestic AI his daughter names Alice (Megan Fox) to help run the household. But the situation soon turns deadly when the lifelike robot develops an obsessive attachment to her new owner. Driven by a twisted sense of loyalty, she becomes determined to eliminate what she perceives as the true threat to his happiness: his family.

Subservience is like watching M3GAN but with an adult robot causing havoc instead of a child. The chilling nature of events throughout the film are certainly effective, Alice written to grow into the role that goes from help around the house to obsessive android in a way that just feels eerie throughout. There isn't really much commentary on the use of AI here - if that's what you're looking for - but the film does have a few playful nods to other, far superior, films that deal with AI - The Terminator one being the most obvious.

When it comes to the darker side of the film, director S.K. Dale sure looks to push it to the limit, with the intent for the child characters to be harmed by Alice being something that some viewers may find a little too disturbing. With that in mind, Dale never really pushes it too far and the film actually ends up being rather tame compared to where it could have gone. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun watch but it feels like it could do with a proper dark edge to it. M3GAN had the tongue-in-cheek nature to it that worked so well but Subservience falters due to its lack of commitment to a particular tone - nearly becoming a steamy erotic thriller in the process.

Coming to the performances, most will watch this for Megan Fox and she is genuinely rather good in the role of Alice. It's a role that demands a calm yet major presence in order for the narrative to work and Fox certainly brings that to the table, harking back to the days of Jennifer's Body where Fox was a name to watch out for. Michele Morrone works well enough alongside Fox as the husband in need of help when his wife becomes sick, but he leaves a little to be desired when it comes to being a fully convincing actor.

Subservience isn't anything we haven't seen before and ends in such a hopeful manner for more films, predictable as it is these days for studios to try and make franchises before they've had a chance to even walk first. If, like me, you are a sucker for rather silly thrillers then it will minorly satisfy an itch, with Megan Fox giving the film a steely and charismatic focal point.

Verdict: ★★