A.M.I. (3/5) – Netflix Movie Review

A.M.I. is a new AI horror movie on Netflix. It is surprisingly well-made and extremely entertaining with some truly cool plot elements. Some people might find it over the top, but I thought it was pretty spot-on in that regard. Read more in our full A.M.I. review and watch it on Netflix!

A.M.I. is a new horror movie on Netflix. The cyber horror movie with AI elements is from Canada and I do have a soft spot for Canadians in general. Probably because I love the crude humor of Ryan Reynolds but that’s neither here nor there.

Also it does not mean I’m biased since my expectations were pretty low. Then again, I was more than ready to give this Canadian AI horror movie a chance because of the plot. It turned out to be a delicious slasher surprise in ways I could have never imagined.

Also, Debs Howard is brilliant in the lead, which becomes obvious after watching the scene with a cute cat. If you read my author bio here on Heaven of Horror, you don’t have to worry about the cat. This horror movie didn’t use that tired trope.

Check out our full A.M.I. review below or just go watch it on Netflix now!

What’s up with our smartphones?!

First things first, the letters in A.M.I. stand for “Artificial Machine Intelligence” so yes, we’re dealing with an AI horror movie along the lines of the Netflix movie Tau.

You might like: Check out our review of the Netflix sci-fi horror movie Tau here >

This one is quite different from Tau in many ways. However, it’s also similar in several. Mostly the fact that while the other Netflix movie revolved around a girl being trapped inside an A.I. house, this movie is focused on the A.I. in your smartphone.

There are quite a lot of cool elements related to the role of the smartphone in this horror movie. Especially when some things are shot from the point-of-view of the phone. This isn’t a horror movie shot as a POV, but it does offer up some really cool shots by using this style for a bit.

In terms of actual plot, A.M.I. is more like a cross between Upgrade and I Am Mother. In fact, since our lead character calls her Siri-like app “Mother”, we even get the line “Hallo Cassie, I am Mother”.

Don’t miss out on: Our review of the Netflix A.I. horror movie I am Mother here >

Unlike the Netflix movie I am Mother, this one features a lot of slasher-inspired murders and some truly dark humor. It will definitely appeal to a lot of horror fans, while others might not enjoy it as much.

The ending of A.M.I. 

Look, you don’t need an “the ending of A.M.I. explained” article. If you’re paying attention, the ending of A.M.I. is quite obvious and simple. To be blunt, you won’t need an exlanation to the A.M.I. ending if you can keep your eyes off your phone.

Incidentially, this is a huge part of the plot since it revolves around our relationship with smartphones. In my experience, some movies do need to have their endings explained, while most just require that their audience is actually watching the movie.

So what is my point with this segment of the review?! Well, I’m pretty damn happy with the ending of this cyber horror movie. So many elements of the plot get an extra twist in the end and I loved it. Also, it’s a very classic horror ending in many ways. 

Watch A.M.I. on Netflix now!

Rusty Nixon directed A.M.I. which is his fourth feature film in the thriller and/or horror genre. Clearly Rusty Nixon has a preference for our beloved genres and it does come across in A.M.I. as well.

Rusty Nixon even wrote the script based on a story by James Clayton and Evan Tylor. Evan Tylor also co-wrote the story for the 2001 horror movie Ripper which starred A.J. Cook. This is the first writing credit for James Clayton who usually focuses on acting. He was also in Rusty Nixon’s previous movie and is slated to be in his next film Villain.

The lead role of Cassie is played by Debs Howard. She was also in the horror movie The Evil in Us from 2016 which is worth checking out if you like zombie horror movies. Having watched her in A.M.I. as well now, I really hope Debs Howard will continue making horror movies for a long time. She’s got all the makings of a horror icon.

If you’re looking for a horror movie based on our very intense relationship with our smartphones, then check out A.M.I. on Netflix now.

A.M.I. is out on Netflix in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia from October 1, 2019.

Details

Director: Rusty Nixon
Writers: James Clayton, Rusty Nixon, Evan Tylor
Stars: Debs Howard, Philip Granger, Sam Robert Muik, Havana Guppy, Bonnie Hay, Veronica Hampson, Lori Triolo

Plot

After losing her mother, a teenage girl bonds with her phone’s artificial intelligence app, a relationship that soon takes a dark and violent turn.