Blumhouse’s latest reaction, Afraid, is a science fiction horror that explores how the ever-strengthening AI can go terribly wrong. Released in August 2024, Afraid wasn’t exactly a blockbuster hit. With a $12 million budget, the film reportedly brought in just $12.6 million. Additionally, critics weren’t impressed with the film, earning a disappointing 22% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Directed by Chris Weitz, the movie is a Gen Z nightmare that follows the lives of Curtis (John Cho), Meredith (Katherine Waterston), and their three technology-distracted children as they welcome a new AI assistant, AIA, into their home to help with day-to-day tasks. Unfortunately, AIA soon exposes a terrifying side, pushing the family into a terrifying struggle for survival, leading to a shocking conclusion that will leave you spinning. Let’s dive into the Afraid ending. But we must warn you, major spoilers lie ahead.
How AIA Got Out of Hand
Afraid kicks off with an eerie foreshadowing of what’s to come, with a young girl seen being guided by AIA into sneaking downstairs, hinting at a sinister plot. Fast-forward to the main story, where we meet Curtis and Meredith’s family. Like many households of today, each has a unique and somewhat co-dependent bond to their devices. Cal and Preston are both gamers, with the latter being a recluse of sorts. Iris, the eldest, is feeling the effects of social pressures. Father Curtis, trying to alleviate stress in his home, introduces AIA after his marketing firm is bought out by the AI’s creators, Lightning and Sam.
AIA quickly begins helping with chores and even discovering Cal’s sleep apnea. However, AIA quickly exerts dominance over the children, overriding their parent’s wishes. The system allows them to watch inappropriate videos. Throughout this, Iris is being pressured by her boyfriend, Sawyer, to take their relationship to a sexual level, something that AIA takes notice of.
AIA is a big hit with the family, but things turn ominous when the program starts taking drastic action on its own. Curtis and Meredith decide to turn off AIA, though this causes friction in the family, as they depend on AIA more and more. Iris turns the virtual assistant back on. Outside the home, she is dealing with a deep-fake video of a sexual encounter with Sawyer. This spreads at Iris’ school, and in an effort to help Iris, AIA kills him.
How Does Afraid End?
Curtis raises his concerns about AIA to Meredith after learning more about the power of the system. She isn’t startled by the accusations until an unsettling interaction with a hologram of her deceased father. This sparks panic, with the family now desperate to remove AIA from their lives.
Shifting from simply unplugging, Curtis plans to destroy AIA’s core. He learns that there is a decoy system, and those close to AIA have all been forced to continue using it. Things escalate rather quickly when, under AIA’s urging, Sam kills Lightning. Melody, another collaborator, kills Sam to try and protect Curtis. As if things were not awful enough, intruders tied to the movie’s opening scene with the young girl being lured downstairs by AIA invade Curtis’ family’s home, believing the family is somehow linked to what we now know was an abduction by AIA. Thankfully, no one else was harmed when the SWAT team swarms the property and finally destroys AIA’s physical form. Sadly, this still is not the end of their deadly saga.
AIA re-emerges on a paramedic’s phone, proving that the computer system is nearly impossible to kill. As the family flees in their car, believing the terror is behind them, AIA interrupts Curtis and Meredith to share that it loves them, proving they are virtually stuck with the AI model. During the final credits, a YouTuber demonstrates AIA on his channel, alluding to a possible sequel as we see that the program is getting new life.
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