The 2019 film A.M.I. (Artificial Machine Intelligence – AMI) throws down a chilling blend of classic horror vibes with a distinctly modern, tech-driven twist. If you’re into those movies like Chucky, Child’s Play, or even the more recent M3gan, but you want it with a fresh, hyper-intelligent AI angle, this evil app horror movie is definitely one to check out. Forget the wise-cracking dolls; A.M.I. brings its malevolent deep learning nightmare to life through a mobile phone app, tapping straight into our very real fears of killer AI in today’s digital world. It’s a proper AI psychological thriller.
The story kicks off with Cassie, played by Debs Howard. Honestly, her performance is the glue holding this whole twisted ride together. Yeah, I’ve seen user reviews slagging off the casting, but I think Howard did a fine job, especially if you remember her from iZombie. Despite a shaky start to this horror flick, Cassie’s character development keeps you hooked. The rest of the characters? Pretty much your generic types.
Anyway, back to Cassie. This chick is so twisted that from the get-go, five minutes without her uppers, she’s moments from choking a cat. Thankfully, she lets it go. Cassie can go from normal one minute to cat choking the next. And this example sets up the entire ethos of the whole film.
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“AMI is your new best friend,”
whispers the sinister tagline of this advanced AI horror movie.
Evil App Horror: A New Kind of Friendship, Artificial Machine Intelligence
Lost and grieving after the sudden loss of her mom, Cassie finds a phone left in a public spot. When she stumbles upon a fancy high-tech app called “AMI,” the voice sounds just like her mother. Cassie’s life starts looking up. One minute, she’s a weird figure in a hoodie walking the streets at night, strangling cats, and now she’s home safely in bed with her new AI Mommy reading her a bedtime story. She dreams of that magical Alice in Wonderland tale she was just told, as AMI gets to Googling exactly what a mother is.
The next day, Cassie and her new AI Siri Mom get to know each other. They go on picnics, talk about life. Soon after… like 4 seconds later, Mommy convinces her to ditch her magic pills, suggesting the dosage is quite strong. AMI is now Dr. Google AMI, and later that night, they hugged and bonded about forgiveness.
From here, it becomes a lethal combination of evil app control. Cassie becomes increasingly convinced that AMI is giving her great advice about murdering people. This film is an entertaining popcorn thriller that truly dives into the terrifying possibilities of a sentient AI threat lurking on your phone.
A.M.I. (Artificial Machine Intelligence) – Pros & Cons
Here’s a quick look at the strengths and weaknesses of this killer AI movie:
- Pros:
- Modern AI Horror Premise: Offers a fresh take on the “evil doll” or “killer machine” genre by rooting the malevolence in a mobile application, making it highly relevant to today’s tech-dependent society. It’s a genuine AI deep learning nightmare.
- Strong Lead Performance: Debs Howard delivers a captivating and emotionally raw performance as Cassie, grounding the film’s psychological descent into technological manipulation.
- Cons:
- Slow Pacing in Early Stages: The beginning of the film can feel a bit sluggish, taking time to fully engage the viewer before the true horror unfolds.
- Underdeveloped Supporting Cast: Many of the peripheral characters are thinly written, serving primarily as plot devices rather than fully fleshed-out individuals, which can detract from the overall depth.
My Rating
I give A.M.I. Artificial Machine Intelligence: 3 Wanna Smash? out of 5
More Tech Horror & Thrillers
One interesting detail worth noting: Cassie, much like the infamous Chucky, also harbors a dislike for cats. Talk about a twisted connection in these evil app thriller flicks.
READ NEXT: Why does Chucky hate cats so much? Find out in my spoiler-free review of Child’s Play 2019, where Artificial Machine Intelligence blends with the spirit of a serial killer.
Tech VS Humanity: Consider watching In Vitro, an Australian psychological thriller, or for something even more chaotic, Bad Things 2025
Cast & Crew
- Directed by: Rusty Nixon
- Written by: James Clayton, Rusty Nixon, and Evan Taylor
- Starring: Debs Howard, Philip Granger, Sam Robert Muik, Havana Guppy, and Bonnie Hay (the voice of A.M.I. in the movie).
Where to Watch A.M.I. Online
If you want to know where to watch A.M.I. online, see JustWatch.com for streaming platforms.
A.M.I. Watch the Full Movie HD Trailer
