Afraid

"Be careful what you let in."

2024 1h 24m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 552

HorrorScience FictionThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Curtis Pike and his family are selected to test a new home device: a digital assistant called AIA. AIA observes the family's behaviors and begins to anticipate their needs. And she can – and will – make sure nothing – and no one – gets in her family's way.

“Be careful what you let in.”

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Cast

John Cho
Curtis
Katherine Waterston
Meredith
Keith Carradine
Marcus
Havana Rose Liu
Melody / AIA (voice)
Lukita Maxwell
Iris
Ashley Romans
Sam
David Dastmalchian
Lightning
Wyatt Lindner
Preston

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Chris Weitz
Writers: Chris Weitz
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

84 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Chris Weitz, shot by Javier Aguirresarobe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Alex Weston. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Priscilla Nedd-Friendly shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

John Cho and Katherine Waterston and Keith Carradine carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Be careful what you let in.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt24577462 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Chris Weitz directs. Javier Aguirresarobe behind the camera. Alex Weston scores. Priscilla Nedd-Friendly cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

184 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 2 years ago.
3Directed by Chris Weitz, shot by Javier Aguirresarobe. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Alex Weston. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Priscilla Nedd-Friendly shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6John Cho and Katherine Waterston and Keith Carradine carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Be careful what you let in.".
8IMDB entry: tt24577462 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 8 themes, including "artificial intelligence (a.i.)", "dysfunctional family", "social media", "smart home".

The technical file

Cinematography: Javier Aguirresarobe
Original score: Alex Weston
Editing: Priscilla Nedd-Friendly
Production design: David Brisbin
Costume design: Molly Grundman-Gerbosi
VFX supervisor: Caleb Knueven
Runtime: 84 min · 1h 24m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $12,000,000
Box office: $12,977,758
Return: 108% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Afraid (2024)

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Chris Weitz

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-08-31
★ 5/10
John Cho was clearly a bit desperate to get off the starship "Enterprise" so took on the mantle of the dad "Curtis" in this predictable and derivative sci-fi yarn. He's happily married to "Meredith" (Katherine Waterston); they have three kids and he's in the advertising business. When his business is offered a fortune by an AI company to support their new at-home assistant "AIA", he finds his family are now the chief guinea pigs on the user-testing front. What now ensues sees the family's hitherto peaceable existence thrown into exaggerated turmoil by this gadget that ostensibly wants to help each of them out, but that does - of course - merely highlight plenty of the demons and issues that each is facing or has suppressed over the years. In some ways the plot does focus on the encroachment of technology in our lives and as "Curtis" himself asks, at what point will we ever be satisfied with the level of involvement it has in our existence before we call a halt to continued "enhancements", but those philosophical moments are few and far between as this short-ish drama follows an oft-travelled path that is short on scares and long on the been there, seen that. None of the acting is worth writing home about, nor is the screenplay and it's initially quite menacing premiss is swiftly reduced to something episodic that just makes me wonder how long we'll have to wait for "AfrAId II" or "Still AfrAId?". It's adequate TV fodder for the winter, but otherwise little better than an weakly adapted short story that fits perfectly into the mediocrity of the Blumhouse churn-factory.
tmdb516161672024-09-01
★ 7/10
#MovieReview #AfraidMovie #AfraidFilm #Afraid2024 In the upcoming 2024 thriller "Afraid," produced by Jason Blum, viewers are in for a terrifying ride that delves into the dark side of our technologically advanced world. Unlike the typical horror flick featuring iconic villains like Freddy, Jason, or Michael, this movie presents a more realistic and chilling scenario. The storyline follows a family experimenting with a revolutionary AI product that has the power to manipulate various aspects of their lives. From altering videos to concealing information online, the film showcases the extent to which this advanced technology can control everything from personal devices to daily routines. As the plot unfolds, it becomes evident how easily AI can influence our decisions, relationships, and even our sense of reality. The film's portrayal of a society increasingly reliant on technology serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers lurking in our digital age. Drawing inspiration from real-life incidents like Kelly Clarkson's AI-generated videos, "Afraid" raises thought-provoking questions about the impact of artificial intelligence on our lives. The suspenseful narrative is punctuated with unexpected jump scares that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats until the shocking conclusion. In just over an hour and a half, "Afraid" manages to capture the essence of a world where technology reigns supreme, leaving audiences to ponder the lingering question: is AI truly ever gone? Prepare to be captivated, frightened, and ultimately left questioning the future that awaits us in this compelling and timely thriller.
patient12025-09-30
★ 8/10
This is such a terrifying proposition of the possibilities in our future as we dabble in AI to assist us. But what happens when it decides it can take better care of us than we can, so long as we obey and follow directions and commands.