'Subservience' Reviews: "Subservience exceeds expectations on almost every level"

         On September 13, 2024, 'Subservience' was released by XYZ Films, garnering a score of 47% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "Megan Fox stars as Alice, a lifelike artificially intelligent android, who has the ability to take care of any family and home. Looking for help with the housework, a struggling father (Michele Morrone) purchases Alice after his wife becomes sick. Alice suddenly becomes self-aware and wants everything her new family has to offer, starting with the affection of her owner -- and she'll kill to get it." But what exactly did the critics say?

       Jason Delgado of Film Threat notes, "Fox nails the role of Alice, being cold and distant, much like a creepy A.I. maid would be. She’s the big-name reason why many people may choose to watch this, and she does not disappoint. Zima is also great as the sympathetic mom, who you root for to get well and take her life back from the intruder. The whole concept is cool and lends itself to a bit of a Twilight Zone feel. While there’s a twist as to who ends up in danger, overall, Subservience is pretty much what you would expect. There’s a scene where Nick tells Alice that she needs to watch Casablanca with him in order to fully appreciate it as opposed to simply reciting the synopsis, which is an apt description of where A.I. is at this point in time. It can copy things, but it’s soulless, and that is precisely the type of threat that Alice poses. She has no moral compass, so her blind loyalty leads to destruction."

       Leslie Felperin of Guardian says, "People used to rag on Megan Fox for her lack of expressiveness, which may or may not be attributable to all the cosmetic surgery she’s copped to having. But by playing an android in this piece of sci-fi/horror fluff, it’s almost like she’s clapping back at her detractors, having fun as a robot lady with a sculpted body straight out of a lingerie catalogue, lips like padded roll bars, and an almost permanently frozen, inscrutable expression – all the better to hide the murderous code scrolling through her CPU. If only the film were a little bit smarter and less predictable, it might have had a chance of becoming a cult classic."

       Mike McGranaghan of Aisle Seat writes, "AI is a scary thing, and there are all sorts of ways a thriller could go in exploring its potential negative implications. Subservience opts to go in the dumbest, most obvious direction imaginable."

Photo by Xu Haiwei on Unsplash

        Josh Wilding of ComicBookMovie.com praises the film, stating, "Subservience exceeds expectations on almost every level; while it's somewhat limited in scope, Dale finds clever ways to at least hint at what's happening in the wider world (there's a very disturbing scene showing how surgeries are performed when humans are pushed out in favour of a cheaper A.I. workforce). Some of the supporting characters don't quite land and it's a shame the movie doesn't have the budget to better establish and explore this possible future. And, for as many questions about A.I. as it raises, there are others it fails to answer, including how Nick can even afford Alice when he's facing losing his job and his ailing wife's medical bills. Still, whether it's a one-and-done or the start of a new M3GAN-like franchise - FYI, this movie is vastly superior to that one - Subservience is a must-see and an essential watch which subverts expectations and sticks with you long after the credits roll."