I’m well aware that “Afraid” (also dubbed “AfrAId”) has received some pretty harsh criticism, so I’m going to go against the grain and begin by focussing on the things that did work for me. Because, controversially, I think there are some strong, albeit underdeveloped and at times unexplored, elements to this film that certainly exceeded my expectations.
I’d like to begin by acknowledging that, in my opinion, any film that attempts to tackle the complex (and largely overdone) topic of AI is setting itself up for a rough ride. We’ve had some pretty poor showings as of late—I can’t even discuss “M3GAN”—so attempting to offer up anything fresh or new is going to be ambitious and verging on impossible. But upon its opening scenes I found myself surprisingly drawn in, curious about the events about to unfold.
A Good Start, with Good Atmosphere
“Afraid” opens with a sickly sweet, sinister sounding soundtrack (one that could challenge the disturbingly torturous “Tiptoe through the Tulips” from “Insidious”), before introducing a family whose daughter is lured downstairs late at night by a character that speaks to her from her iPad (it was far too late for her to still be on her device, just saying). After searching for her downstairs—with some nice ghostlike appearances on the walls and lurking around the corners—she is nowhere to be found. Throw in a sinister, shady appearance stood outside the house that echoed the likes of “The Strangers,” and a jump scare or two, and it seemed we were headed in the right direction.
This is what I appreciated about “Afraid;” it at least took the time to set the stage and lay the foundations as opposed to launching us straight into the action and expecting us to buy in. I felt at least some attention had been paid to detail in allowing us to get a sense of time, place, and character, whilst building a sense of tension and suspense. And for a while, it seemed to stay that way. One might even say I was hopeful, that there could be even a small chance of getting a scare (perhaps a bit too ambitious on my part).
Waterston and Cho Give Strong Performances
For starters, the main family are somewhat worth investing in. The kids have actual personalities, problems, and the family dynamics are believable and feel authentic. I was engaged largely because I actually gave a hoot about the journey that they each take, as each family member encounters and experiences the new AI that they are trialing—AIA—in their own way. This may, admittedly, purely be owed to strong acting from the cast members (Katherine Waterston and John Cho give strong, credible performances as parents, and we even have cracking cast members such as David Dastmalchian on board). But I found myself at least drawn into the drama and interested in how they might (or might not) survive.
And even the AI itself, AIA, felt somewhat different and, frankly, believable. Instead of presenting a weird, semi human like AI, (why did you do it to us, “M3GAN?”), “Afraid” offers up something I could genuinely see sitting in our living rooms one day (though, just to clarify, it certainly wouldn’t be sitting in mine). Referring to Alexa as a ‘b****’, AIA is so much more than your everyday smart device. She is capable of thinking, feeling, and essentially serves as a cross between a personal assistant, friend, and family member. And that’s what makes her an ideal monster in this horror movie. She could be the future; heck, she’s right on our doorsteps as we speak. And, as expected, events rapidly start to go downhill.
But Unfortunately, Not Many Scares
Unfortunately, from hereon, so too does the film. Where I had hoped for some action, thrills and scares, the latter part of the film is rushed and underdeveloped. And what makes it so much more disappointing is that everything was there at the beginning, set up and ready to go, but it just doesn’t deliver. Where there was the opportunity to provide something new, the ending is predictable and falls flat. I’d even go so far as to say the final scene felt like a cop out, almost as bad as the old ‘they woke up and it was all a dream’ shtick.
It’s a shame, and it’s frustrating that “Afraid” didn’t tick the boxes it could have. And to be clear, it certainly does not deserve the title of ‘horror/drama,’ but I’d say thriller, at most. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to spend money or time going to the movies to watch “Afraid.” If you’re at a loss at home one evening and it’s on streaming, it would suffice as an easy watch, perhaps what could be seen as a very light version of a “Black Mirror” episode. Just certainly don’t expect any scares.
“Afraid” is currently only available to watch in theaters.
