Movie Review: ‘Subservience’ Is a Standard A.I. Gone Wrong Thriller

In a world where getting an artificial intelligence, A.I., companion is as easy as going to the grocery store and picking out everyday essentials, the upcoming Sci-fi thriller “Subservience” starring Megan Fox and Michele Morrone takes viewers on a mediocre journey through the A.I. gone wrong troupe written by Will Honley & April Maguire and directed by S.K. Dale.

Nick (Michele Morrone) is a struggling father of two young children (Matilda Firth and Jude Greenstein) in “Subservience” whose sick wife Maggie (Madeline Zima) is awaiting a transplant in the hospital. He’s struggling to balance his job and the household duties alone so he buys an A.I. to help around the house. Once the A.I. is home and named Alice (Megan Fox) things seemed to get easier until they don’t as Alice is “driven by a twisted sense of loyalty” to protect her new owner’s happiness by any means eliminating all threats.

Michele Morrone as Nick in “Subservience.” Photo: Vertigo Releasing

Going into “Subservience” I couldn’t help but thinking about a 1995 episode of The Outer Limits. In the first season, episode two entitled “Valerie 23,” a disabled man named Frank (William Sadler) is offered a beautiful prototype android companion named Valerie (Sofia Shinas) who can mimic humans in every way. The robot becomes jealous and develops a violent nature when Frank begins a relationship with his physical therapist Rachel (Nancy Allen). Of course over the course of the episode Frank resists the help of Valerie at first but becomes accustom to her before resenting the idea of the A.I. The premise is very similar to “Subservience.” Alice and Nick develop a relationship until it goes too far and he wants her gone, but Alice isn’t leaving without a fight and she will do anything to remain apart of the family.

(L-R) Matilda Firth as Isla and Megan Fox as Alice in “Subservience.” Photo: Vertigo Releasing

The plot of the film unfolds exactly how you think it will. There’s nothing unique anymore about these A.I. malfunctioning tropes in film, but the entertaining aspect is always watching exactly how the A.I. will go off the rails to protect their host. Although there are no interesting kills in “Subservience,” seeing the extent of Alice’s abilities revealed throughout the film was intriguing. Megan Fox however played a believable robot. When working with artificial intelligence on screen it’s easy to use some sort of CGI for the main robot and I’m sure some was used for Megan’s portrayal especially during more of the action sequences, but her cadence and mannerisms were very convincing as A.I.. How she was styled and dressed from head to toe also played into her watchable performance.

Overall the pacing in “Subservience” moves along steadily until the final act when it gets a bit long winded. You get the gist of where the story is going very early on in the movie and will be anxiously awaiting for the credits to roll, but if you’re not tired of the A.I. gone horribly wrong format then this will be a film you’ll enjoy.

“Subservience” releases on Friday, September 13 and comes to TVOD on September 20.

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Photo: Vertigo Releasing