5 Horror Movies Streaming Now Where Robots Fail At Doing Their Jobs
We’re on the cusp of February, and the romantic horror movies are cutting to the front of the line. However, very few of them are going the man-seeking-android route that Companion has decided to take. This is why I robots on the brain this week. All genre fans can attest that wonky robots have plagued our genre forever. They can also tell you that not all those movies are created equally.
Sure, we have deadly divas like The Terminator, which immediately come to mind. However, as all genre kids know, many other films rage against the machine and have given us a plethora of wonky robots with bad intentions. Some are fun, some are bad, and some just have to be seen to be believed. This is why I tried to find a nice variety when I picked these five robots, each that had one job and failed miserably at it.
Blank (dir. Natalie Kennedy)
Where You Can Watch: Plex, Philo, Pluto TV, Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Sling TV, and Tubi
A writer heads out for an AI-operated retreat to help her beat a bad case of writer’s block. However, when the software glitches, she finds herself trapped with an unstable android. As a writer, this sounds terrifying. This gig is hard enough without my new tools trying to kill me. However, it’s also very believable that AI would take the word “deadline” too literally. This sci-fi thriller takes the threat of androids to artists to the extreme, a subject weighing heavily on many of our minds. Blank also casually has Wayne Brady playing a hologram if you weren’t sure what level of weird this movie is. This title has some cool ideas and is a bit of a cautionary tale about relying too heavily on AI in our creative practices.
Chopping Mall (dir. Jim Wynorski)
Where You Can Watch: AMC+, Peacock, Philo, Prime Video, Pluto TV, Shudder, and Tubi
A group of mall employees after-hours party turns deadly when the security robots malfunction and go on a killing spree. This campy and chaotic movie has withstood the test of time. You might come for the Kelli Maroney and Barbara Crampton of it all. However, you’re going to stay for the nostalgia overload. This techno-horror is one of the default favorite Robots Gone Wild titles from the 1980s. I also find it interesting that it’s one of the few movies on the list where the robots weren’t built for companionship. Ironically enough, they were built to be the ultimate security system but ended up going on a rampage instead. I think that’s beautifully on brand for humanity. I strongly encourage you to watch these cute machines go after some young folks.
Deadly Friend (dir. Wes Craven)
Where You Can Watch: VOD
A lonely teen tries to resurrect his dead friend by implanting a robotic microchip in her brain. I am basically three Wes Craven fan accounts in a trench coat. So, it is my sworn duty to tell you about this chaotic little 1986 horror/sci-fi movie that makes some choices. I was initially worried the elevated kitchen-aid appliance the alleged genius built would be running around in the streets murdering people. So, I was surprised and delighted to see it would actually be Kristy Swanson playing a dead girl with a robotic brain killing the neighbors. While this is not in my top 10 movies in Craven’s filmography, I enjoy the chaotic energy that runs through it. If you become a little obsessed with this weird (and possibly forgotten) movie, you should do some internet sleuthing. The finished project is very different from what Wes wanted, which explains what we see on screen.
M3GAN (dir. Gerard Johnstone)
Where You Can Watch: Starz
A robotics engineer takes in her orphaned niece and creates an AI companion for her, which inadvertently does more harm than good. We all wondered how Akela Cooper would follow up Malignant. However, no one could have predicted she would return with this banger. M3GAN is the best and brightest of the recent murderous robots to hit the screen. It’s packing important themes and some ridiculous violence. She was such a pop culture moment that she even caught the attention of our favorite deadly doll, the one and only Chucky. This dancing diva is bigger than her subgenre, and her hands are rated E for everyone because even the kids can get it. Needless to say, we cannot help but be excited to see what M3GAN 2.0 has in store for us when it drops this summer.
T.I.M. (dir. Spencer Brown)
Where You Can Watch: Hulu
A prosthetics engineer takes a job working on a company’s new top-of-the-line humanoid AI manservant. When the company gives her one for her home, it becomes apparent the robot is more deadly than helpful. I originally hit play without knowing anything because I saw Georgina Campbell (Barbarian, Lovely, Dark, and Deep) listed as the lead actress. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that her AI butler was also a petty bitch. T.I.M. (Eamon Farren) is giving daytime TV levels of jealousy, murder, and over-the-top shenanigans. The third act goes so wonderfully off the rails that it’s hard not to enjoy this ride just a little. While I cannot say this is a great movie, I can tell you it’s a damn good time.
Many more titles fit this theme like The Creator, The Artifice Girl, and Westworld (1973), to name just a few more. So, whatever your mood, there is bound to be at least one murderous machine that matches your energy.
Did your favorite rebellious robot make the cut? Then let me know at @misssharai.
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