Chris Weitz’s Afraid, or as they stylize it – AfrAId (see what they did there?), is a timely yet bland addition to the “evil AI” genre. It’s a movie that plays out exactly as you expect it to and hits on all the themes you assume it would. Unfortunately, none of those themes (from society’s over reliance on technology to the blissful ignorance it has on children) are explored in any meaningful way. It’s all very surface level and extremely hollow. Which, frankly, is a shame, given that the subject matter is overly ripe for consequential exploration at this given moment. Alas, it’s just another Hollywood “cautionary tale,” not unlike the one we saw in countless other films. What this film does have going for it, however, is a likable cast of characters – led by the always dependable John Cho. The family dynamic is surely relatable, and there will be lots for the general public to resonate with. As for the “horror” of it all, there’s a lot less to write home about. Minus one or two jump scares, I’d say the film is pretty much void of any real scares. Heck, I found myself laughing more at the onscreen “threats” than I was quivering. And to be clear, it’s not meant to be a campy good time like, say, M3GAN. For the most part, it’s played fairly earnestly – to its detriment. Anemic frights aside, Afraid’s biggest offence is its asinine ending. The movie ends on the most ridiculous note, leaving things open for (gasp) more technological terror. So, while the film isn’t awful (other than that ending), and it is surely watchable, it’s overall disappointing. It’s as if they just compiled a “greatest hits” from every genre movie of this kind. It’s sort of like it was written by AI. Wait a minute…