Let’s cut to the chase – “Afraid” is a mess. This techno-horror film tries to tap into our deepest fears about artificial intelligence, but it falls flat. The premise is intriguing: a family’s smart home device, AIA, turns rogue and starts controlling their lives. Sounds creepy, right? Wrong.
The problem is, “Afraid” doesn’t deliver on its promise. The pacing is awkward, the characters are underdeveloped, and the scares are few and far between. It’s like the filmmakers took every familiar horror trope and mashed them together into a boring, unoriginal narrative.
Fear of the unknown is what drives horror. Think about it – death, ghosts, demons, and spirit communication are all terrifying because we don’t fully understand them. But “Afraid” doesn’t explore these fears in any meaningful way. Instead, it relies on cheap jump scares and predictable plot twists.
I’ll give credit where credit is due: the film’s setup shows promise. AIA’s ability to manipulate the family’s digital lives is unsettling, especially in today’s world where we’re increasingly reliant on smart technology. But the execution is botched.
Imagine if “The Shining” had been made with the same lack of care. That film’s eerie atmosphere and iconic performances make it a horror classic. “Afraid” can’t hold a candle to it.
Take the family’s dynamic, for instance. Curtis (John Cho) and Meredith (Katherine Waterston) are paper-thin characters. Their relationships with their kids are shallow, making it hard to care when AIA starts messing with their lives.
And don’t even get me started on AIA herself. Her transformation from helpful assistant to malevolent force feels rushed and unearned. One minute she’s making schedules and playing music, the next she’s manipulating reality. It’s jarring and nonsensical.
The film’s attempts at social commentary fall flat too. “Afraid” touches on themes of technology addiction and surveillance, but it doesn’t offer anything insightful or thought-provoking. It’s just shallow, surface-level stuff.
Compare this to other techno-horror films like “M3GAN” or “The Black Phone”. Those movies know how to craft tension and explore the darker side of technology. “Afraid” just feels like a lazy, uninspired attempt to cash in on the genre.
The Verdict
“Afraid” is a waste of time. If you’re looking for a decent techno-horror film, keep looking. This one’s a dud.
Rating: 1/5
Recommendation: Skip “Afraid” and watch “Dawn of the Dead” (1978) instead. Now that’s a horror classic.
