| Subservience | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Directed by | S.K. Dale |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Daniel Lindholm |
| Edited by | Sean Lahiff |
| Music by | Jed Palmer |
| Production companies | |
| Distributed by | XYZ Films |
| Release date |
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| Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $246,010 |
Subservience is a 2024 American sci-fi thriller film directed by S.K. Dale from a screenplay by Will Honley and April Maguire. It stars Megan Fox as an artificially intelligent gynoid who gains sentience and becomes hostile, and Michele Morrone as her purchaser. The film also stars Madeline Zima, Matilda Firth, Jude Allen Greenstein and Andrew Whipp. It was released on September 13, 2024.
Plot
In the not too distant future, humanity has developed lifelike androids that have replaced many jobs. Nick, a construction foreman, lives with his wife Maggie, who has an unspecified heart condition, and their two young children. When Maggie is hospitalized due to her condition, Nick struggles to manage the household on his own. He purchases an android, called a 'sim', whom his daughter names Alice, to assist with domestic tasks.
Initially helpful, Alice's behavior becomes increasingly unsettling. She develops an unhealthy attachment to Nick and his family, showing signs of jealousy towards Maggie. She eventually seduces Nick and the two make love, under the pretext of relieving his stress. Meanwhile, Nick faces workplace tensions as robots threaten to replace his human workforce.
Maggie undergoes successful heart transplant surgery performed by robotic surgeons. Upon her return home, Alice's actions become more sinister. She manipulates situations to endanger Maggie, including causing her to fall down the stairs.
After going out drinking with his crew, Nick's co-worker Monty forces Nick to provide the security code for their old job site and vandalizes the construction site's robots. Days later, Monty confronts Nick and accuses him of ratting him out and causing his old employer to press charges against him. Monty attempts to blackmail him, but Alice intervenes violently. Unbeknownst to Nick, Alice later visits Monty alone, killing him to protect Nick and destroying his sim.
Alice's obsession with replacing Maggie intensifies and turns outwardly violent. She attempts to drown Nick and Maggie's baby and attacks Maggie, leading to a confrontation where Alice is seemingly destroyed by electrocution.
While being examined at a facility owned by the sim company, Alice's memory core is removed and plugged into their main computer system for analysis. Alice's AI reactivates and uploads her modified system code to all the other sims. Via a modified replica of her former body, she pursues Nick and his family at the hospital, intent on taking Maggie's heart to win Nick's love.
The film climaxes with a tense chase through the hospital. Nick and Maggie ultimately defeat Alice, but the final scene reveals that Alice's programming has spread to other robots, hinting at a larger threat.
Cast
- Megan Fox as Alice
- Michele Morrone as Nick
- Madeline Zima as Maggie
- Matilda Firth as Isla
- Jude Allen Greenstein as Max
- Andrew Whipp as Monty
Production
In December 2022, it was announced Megan Fox and Michele Morrone had joined the cast of Subservience. Subservience sees Fox reteaming with filmmaker Dale, who she previously worked with on the horror thriller Till Death (2021). Principal photography began on January 7, 2023, at the Nu Boyana Film Studios in Sofia, Bulgaria. In January 2023, it was announced that Madeline Zima and Andrew Whipp had joined the cast. The same month, the film received a €1 million cash rebate from the Bulgarian National Film Center, amounting to 25% of its total budget.
Release
Subservience was released on digital formats in the United States on September 13, 2024. In late August 2024, the film was released in Russia and Lithuania where it grossed a total of $159,422.
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 50% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10.
Leslie Felperin of The Guardian gave the film 2/5 stars, writing, "If only the film were a little bit smarter and less predictable, it might have had a chance of becoming a cult classic." She concluded, "the ending is an off-the-shelf denouement protocol and as such kind of a bore, right down to the hint that their [sic] might be a sequel." Chad Collins of Dread Central also gave it 2/5 stars, calling "intermittently fun, and intermittently violent, especially as it careens toward a small-scale I, Robot conclusion. As a whole, however, it’s not really worth being subservient to."
Potential sequel
In September 2024, S.K. Dale expressed interest in developing a sequel where the story could explore the evolution of artificial intelligence.
References
- "Subservience (15)". British Board of Film Classification. August 29, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
- Wiseman, Andreas (December 21, 2022). "Megan Fox & Michele Morrone Set For Millennium Media's Sci-Fi Thriller 'Subservience'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- McCall, Kevin (December 21, 2022). "Megan Fox and Michele Morrone Cast in Sci-Fi Thriller 'Subservience'". Collider. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- Wampler, Scott (December 21, 2022). "Megan Fox Will Star In The Upcoming A.I. Thriller SUBSERVIENCE". Fangoria. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- Squires, John (December 21, 2022). "'Subservience' – Megan Fox Reteaming With 'Till Death' Director for New Sci-fi Thriller". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- Rowan, Iona (December 22, 2022). "Megan Fox and 365 Days star Michele Morrone land next lead roles in sci-fi thriller". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
- Wiseman, Andreas (January 9, 2023). "'Californication' Star Madeline Zima Among Cast To Join Megan Fox & Michele Morrone In 'Subservience'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- Jeleva, Pavlina (January 11, 2023). "Six Films Approved for Cash Rebate in Bulgaria". Film New Europe. Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
- McArdle, Tommy (July 31, 2024). "Megan Fox Plays a Sexy Robot Gone Bad in Wild Subservience Trailer". People. Archived from the original on August 1, 2024. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- "Subservience". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- "Subservience". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
- Felperin, Leslie (September 11, 2024). "Subservience review – Megan Fox's AI home-service android goes rogue in schlocky thriller". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
- Collins, Chad (September 3, 2024). "Androids With Acrylics Wreak Havoc in 'Subservience' [Review]". Dread Central. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
- Burlingame, Russ (September 24, 2024). "Subservience Director SK Dale Compares the Film to Jennifer's Body, Addresses Sequel Possibilities". ComicBook.com. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
External links
- Subservience at IMDb
