Michele Morrone and Megan Fox lead Subservience, tapping into themes of artificial intelligence gone wrong, with this feature sitting somewhere thematically between MEGAN and Fatal Attraction. S.K. Dale directs the film, which is based on Will Honley and April Maguire’s screenplay. The result is a ride that shines thanks to committed performances from Morrone and Fox, whilst providing some thematic food for thought amidst punchy genre tension and set-pieces.
Morrone plays Nick, a struggling father with two young children and a wife suffering from a life-threatening illness. He soon purchases Alice (Fox), a domestic AI to assist with household chores, and a strange bond forms between the two. However, 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 offers an interesting and unsettling glimpse into a world where artificial intelligence SIMs—humanoid robots—are part of everyday life. A subplot involving Nick’s colleagues at a construction site being replaced by SIMs taps into concerns about job losses due to AI, mirroring the conflict in Nick’s household as his wife is slowly replaced by a SIM. Small hints at a society dominated by artificial intelligence are suggested, such as SIM bartenders and hospital workers, positioning the theme of a social battle between humans and AI in the background.
We see an intimate domestic portrayal of this human-AI conflict unfold in Nick’s home. Honley and Maguire’s narrative gradually sows seeds of discontent after Alice’s arrival. Initially, she is the perfect support for the struggling father—tending to chores, cooking, and helping with the children—though without quite having a mother’s natural touch. However, her programming to meet Nick’s needs begins to blur boundaries. Dale crafts an unsettling sexual tension between Nick and Alice, delivered with seductive unease by Fox. Morrone impressively conveys Nick’s weakening resolve to reject the advances of the attractive humanoid, and later captures his regret and shame as his desires are satisfied by Alice. Meanwhile, Alice’s behaviour grows increasingly erratic, dangerous, and obsessive.
Following this Fatal Attraction-inspired encounter, Alice sets out to remove other obstacles from Nick’s life. Dale utilises some sharp genre set-pieces as Alice deals with Nick’s troublesome co-workers before turning her attention to his wife and children. The filmmaker builds an impressive sense of tension and brooding unease before unleashing Alice’s deadly potential and obsessive desires.
Fox is undeniably impressive, delivering a convincing performance as the obedient SIM while allowing elements of faulty programming to shine through. She is at her most entertaining when Alice’s deadly potential is fully unleashed, impressing as a horror villain with a mix of camp and genuine menace. Morrone continues to showcase his talent as a leading man, capturing Nick’s internal struggles. He portrays Nick as a man crushed by the pressure of being a single father, dealing with a high-pressure job, and grappling with complex desires, delivering a compelling and well-crafted performance.
Subservience taps into our deepest fears of technology and desire, with Fox and Morrone leading the charge in a film that is as unsettling as it is thrilling. The movie may tread familiar ground, but its sharp performances and timely themes make it a slick, seductive exploration of the dangers of giving in to temptation—and trusting machines with our lives.
Subservience is available from September 13th with TVOD from September 20th.
You may also like
Michele Morrone & Megan Fox Lead the Trailer for AI Horror ‘Subservience’
Review: Peccadillo Pictures’ Boys On Film 24: Happy Endings (BOF24)
Ariana DeBose, Boy George and Nile Rodgers Team-Up On Infectious Disco Cut ‘Electric Energy’
Exclusive Interview: Michele Morrone Talks New Album ‘Double’, Proudest Achievements & International Fame
Danish Star Christopher Drops ‘Hope This Song Is For You’ Ahead of Acting Role in Netflix’s ‘A Beautiful Life’