Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Subservience Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 19, 2024

One surprise of the 2021 film year was “Till Death.” A macabre survival thriller, the picture offered star Megan Fox a chance to carry a movie, and director S.K. Dale found a way to make that daunting prospect somewhat appealing, pulling a reasonable performance out of the habitually stiff actress. The feature wasn’t stunning, but it worked, especially with nasty business. Fox and Dale reteam for “Subservience,” which trades the simplicity of endurance and escape for the world of artificial intelligence, detailing the battle of a father trying to work with his new robotic housekeeper. Once again, there’s nothing special about the production, but Dale manages to find opportunities to keep the low-budget offering passably engaging, blending real-world fears and the ways of an erotic thriller from the 1990s. “Subservience” opens with promise, and while the ending is a letdown, the endeavor still hits some seductive and threatening beats that carry the viewing experience.

Nick (Michele Morrone) is a construction foreman trying to keep his family together after his wife, Maggie (Madeline Zima), is hit with heart issues, stuck in the hospital while she waits for a potential transplant. Juggling care for his kids, Isla (Matilda Firth) and baby Max (Jude Greenstein), Nick is stressed out, in need of help, finding such support in the form of Alice (Megan Fox). An A.I.-powered robot programmed to be domestic support, Alice is initially a godsend, able to manage nanny and caretaker responsibilities while Nick handles his business demands, which are complicated by the use of “sims” on a construction site, eliminating human jobs. During a reboot to help with memory demands, Alice elects to bypass her protocols, allowing her to get closer to Nick and satisfy his sexual desires while his wife is away, greatly confusing the living situation when Maggie finds a way to return home.

While Nick has managed to build a life for himself, Maggie’s illness threatens the stability of it all, sending the woman away to a hospital for a long wait while her spouse is determined to maintain normalcy. During a shopping trip for assistance, Alice presents herself as a viable option, with the robot programmed to mimic human emotion, making her an easy fit to help parent Max and Isla. The role plays to Fox’s strengths as an actress, as she remains limited in movement and mechanical in feeling, while the character is in a perpetual state of learning, absorbing information all around her. At first, Alice is a miracle, a kind of Mary Poppins-type who comes into the household ready to help, doing well with chores and management, with her fingers capable of monitoring vitals, including Nick’s rising blood pressure.

Dale aims to create intimacy early on in “Subservience,” as Nick tries to humanize Alice to be more comfortable with her, which involves a shared viewing of “Casablanca” that requires a memory dump for a fresh perspective on cinematic emotion. The move is a mistake, but the screenplay (by Will Honley and April Maguire) follows a path of temptation, as Alice tries to get close to her owner, eventually seducing him under the guise of absent spousal fantasy, alleviating some of Nick’s guilt. The Shannon Tweed-ing of “Subservience” is pleasing, moving the picture away from unwelcome thriller elements to find a more sensual, and manipulative, area of weakness to explore. Complicating matters is Maggie, who returns home, suddenly faced with competition for her family’s attention and care, which supplies an interesting psychological aspect to the effort, and Zima plays it all very well.

Subservience Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation supplies a good sense of skin particulars, clarifying the differences between human and robotic characters, also exploring textured mechanical parts. Detail is also strong with costuming, and household interiors are open for inspection. Exteriors retain depth. Color is compelling, working with a darker sense of life inside the house, cut with warmer lighting. Visits to hospital areas are brighter, with vivid primaries. Costuming is also distinct, along with Alice's glowing body parts. Delineation is satisfactory. Very mild banding is detected.

Subservience Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix for "Subservience" isn't terribly aggressive, but domestic moods are set during the listening experience. Dialogue exchanges are sharp, working with Morrone's heavy accent and clarifying robotic lines from the machines. Scoring delivers a clear synth sound, supporting the changing tone of the picture as it moves from sensuality to more aggressive acts of violence. Soundtrack selections are also fresh, with sharp beats. Musical moods do work with the surrounds, creating a few immersive moments. Surrounds also detail atmospherics, capturing the bustle of medical centers and convention floors, occasionally offering separation effects. Sound effects are distinct. Low-end perks up with heavier bass stings and moments of physical violence.

Subservience Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this release.

Subservience Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Subservience" breaks away from domestic entanglements to address a futureworld of A.I. replacement, with construction worker Monty (Andrew Whipp) not accepting this new reality. The feeling of frustration is ready for exploration, but the writing transforms a provocative idea into a routine final act, escalating violence and menace as Alice reaches beyond her programming. The picture goes into expected areas of pursuit and murder, which isn't as interesting as the film's first half, which toys with mystery. The blunt resolution (and its sequel-ready conclusion) doesn't increase the excitement of "Subservience," but positives remain. Dale and the screenplay have a way of pulling something unnerving out of the central premise, launching the endeavor with sinister business (including the careful positioning of a loose banister in Nick's house). And the premise is timely, delving into a society where humans are reduced to bystanders by corporate overlords, left with A.I. robots to lean on for support or, in this case, to have sex with.