Subservience (2024) - Film Review

      Subservience, 2024.

      Directed by S.K. Dale.

      Featuring Megan Fox, Michele Morrone, Madeline Zima, Matilda Firth, Andrew Whipp, Jude Greenstein, Atanas Srebrev, Manal El-Feitury, Kate Nichols, and Kexin Wang.

      SYNOPSIS:

      When his wife falls ill, a struggling father brings home a lifelike AI, only to find that his self-aware assistant desires all the love and attention that her new family has to offer—including the affection of her owner. And she is willing to kill for it.

      S.K. Dale’s Subservience initially shows promise for about 45 minutes before descending into a typical horror of a humanoid robot going on a rampage. This eventual trajectory is disappointing, given that the setup is relatively restrained and focuses on the dynamics between humans and robots, as well as the troubling reality of AI increasingly taking over jobs like those of construction workers. Moreover, this is the same filmmaker who elicited a surprisingly thrilling performance from the often criticized Megan Fox in Till Death, which effectively utilized her physicality by placing her in a home invasion scenario while handcuffed to a deceased individual, making every movement a physical challenge.

      In this film (from screenwriters Will Honley and April Maguire), Megan Fox is cast as a robot with advanced AI, offering a performance that aligns with her previous portrayals as a robot, although this time it suits the character. Nonetheless, it still feels uninspired and commonplace.

      Named Alice, the robot is bought by the grieving and overwhelmed Nick (Michele Morrone) after his supportive wife Maggie (Madeline Zima, the only performer here who delivers a relatively convincing performance) suffers an unexpected heart attack, leaving her hospitalized while Nick struggles to manage parenting duties (caring for a young child and a toddler) alongside his construction job. During a shopping trip with the children, he encounters the advanced robot and, predictably, opts for the most conventionally attractive model. It quickly becomes evident that this will not be Nick's last poor decision.

      Despite Michele Morrone's subpar performance (his acting experience appears limited to risqué Netflix films, resulting in line deliveries that come off as contrived), the screenplay offers enough nuance to avoid portraying the character as entirely morally wrong. Instead, he is depicted as a flawed person who allows Alice to take advantage of him emotionally and sexually.

      It's also important to note that Nick is not entirely unaware of his actions; he grapples with the knowledge that his wife may not receive a new heart in time while recognizing that this sentient robot—whose existence he questions and is suspicious of—becomes his source of pleasure. Alice further complicates his mindset by revealing that he feels happier when his blood pressure and stress are lowered after sexual encounters.

      Disappointingly, Subservience drags through each act, with repetitive pacing contributing to its dullness. It takes a frustrating 40 minutes for the film to answer whether Maggie will die. While this causes impatience, this is also when the film is most engaging, focusing more on character development and Nick's gradual surrender to his inner desires.

      At the same time, Alice begins to assert her role as an efficient mother due to her extensive knowledge base. As is common in such films, she assists with household tasks, cleaning, and caring for the children, embracing the role of a 'servant wife' that Nick comes to appreciate, even as he holds onto his doubts. Nevertheless, he insists that Alice can never replace Maggie (even after they become intimate) because she lacks a human heart and cannot comprehend the complexities of human emotion.

      Tensions escalate, including Alice increasingly dominating the household and Nick's angry coworkers seeking revenge against the construction company for laying off many of them and jeopardizing their lives. Additionally, Alice begins to exercise her free will in perilous ways that could lead to consequences beyond breaking apart this family. Ultimately, this culminates in clichéd and generic violence, visually failing to replicate the impactful blue tones of James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

      Subservience becomes entrapped in formulaic tropes, descending into mindless and forgettable slasher sequences that overshadow any potential for meaningful, topical characterization while doing no favors to the predominantly lackluster performances.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He serves as the Reviews Editor for Flickering Myth. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at [email protected]