Afraid: A Horror Movie as Generic as Its Title
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| Afraid Review 2024 |
Introduction
Blumhouse has done it again, releasing yet another film
that blends into the sea of mediocrity they’ve become known for. Afraid is
their latest offering, directed by Chris Weitz, best known for Twilight Saga:
New Moon. Unfortunately, the movie lives up to its unremarkable title in every
way.
Afraid Trailer
An All-Too-Familiar Plot
Afraid centers around an AI named Melody, designed to
assist the everyday lives of a seemingly perfect family: Curtis, Meredith, and
their three children. Melody is installed via a series of cameras and a giant
central console in their home, ready to give advice, help with schoolwork, and
even assist with social issues like bullying. However, it doesn’t take long for
the seemingly helpful AI to show its more sinister side—though that’s not
saying much, as the movie hardly delivers on its promises of scares or excitement.
A Cookie-Cutter Blumhouse Formula
There was once a time when Blumhouse seemed to care
about the quality of their films, but now they’re cranking out movies like
they’re on a conveyor belt. Afraid follows the typical Blumhouse formula:
introduce a protagonist, insert something creepy into their life, terrorize
them, and then have them fight back. Rinse and repeat. Unfortunately, the
execution is as dull as it sounds, with no real innovation or creativity to set
this movie apart from the dozens that came before it.
Underwhelming Scares and Weak Storylines
If you’re hoping for big scares, gore, or even some
excessive swearing, you’ll be disappointed. Afraid is a PG-13 film that clocks
in at just under 90 minutes—a positive, considering the lackluster content. The
scares are the epitome of generic, relying heavily on jump scares accompanied
by obnoxiously loud noises. It’s not scary; it’s just loud.
The movie also introduces several subplots, like a
child’s obsession with Minecraft and another's budding interest in girls, but
these storylines go nowhere. They’re thrown in for the sake of filler and are
never resolved in any meaningful way. It feels like the movie was hastily
stitched together with no real thought given to character development or plot
coherence.
A Wasted Cast
It’s frustrating to see talented actors like John Cho
and Katherine Waterston wasted in roles that do little to showcase their
abilities. John Cho, who plays Curtis, deserves much better than the bland,
uninspired material he’s given here. Katherine Waterston, who has previously
underwhelmed in roles like in the Fantastic Beasts series and Alien: Covenant,
delivers a serviceable performance, but it’s hardly memorable.
Conclusion: A Forgettable Experience
In the end, Afraid is just another forgettable horror
film from Blumhouse, one that you’re likely to pass out halfway through and
wake up without having missed anything significant. It’s a movie made for a
lazy Sunday afternoon, where you don’t really care about what you’re watching.
If you’ve seen and enjoyed other recent Blumhouse films
like Night Swim or Imaginary, or even Megan, you might find something to like
here. But for those seeking something fresh or genuinely frightening, Afraid is
a tedious, uninspired experience that fails to deliver on any front.
What did you think of Afraid? Did you see it in
theaters, or are you waiting for it to hit streaming? Share your thoughts in
the comments below
Summery
Blumhouse's Afraid, directed by Chris Weitz, is a generic AI horror film following a family who installs an AI named Melody to assist them, only to face predictable terror. The movie feels like a rehash of Megan but without charm or innovation. It relies heavily on jump scares and loud noises rather than genuine suspense, and its subplots, like a child’s obsession with Minecraft, go nowhere. Despite a talented cast, including John Cho, the film is uninspired and forgettable. It's a typical low-effort Blumhouse production, more suited for a lazy streaming watch than a theater trip.
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