When considering nearly every facet of the online world is run by some artificial intelligence to help people deal with technical issues, if not life, the latest film directed by Charles Band is Aimee The Visitor really hits its mark. Unlike past works from this studio which are more like B movie schlock, this work functions very well as a very cautionary tale. It may be enough to get some people to stop using A.I.
Despite including the usual T&A which defines most of this studio’s content, it’s not all that gratuitous to distract from the real plot at hand. Here, Scott Keyes (Dallas Schaefer) is an isolationist who doesn’t know how to deal with the outside world. As for how talented he is as a cybercriminal, I feel this new IP needs a prequel to understand why he is who he is. This underdeveloped aspect of this character deserves to be expanded upon. And as for the actor himself, I couldn’t help but think he’s the next Michael Paré!
After Hunter (Felix Merback) and Gazelle (Faith West) discover a program during their last spree, they think Keyes should investigate. These two cohorts are just as talented as him when it comes to hacking, but when neither can put up with their boss, just how well they function as a team becomes the core of the film.
After handing the software over and uploading it to their closed server, things go from it’s an innocent A.I. chat bot (the first according to this film’s marketing) to something worse! I particularly liked how she looks determines her moods. This character can morph from being photo-realistic, to a CGI Warcraft character and even a librarian type. Despite her many attempts to endear herself to the trio, nobody wanted to recognise the signs.
The story is almost like the classic Star Trek episode “The Ultimate Computer,” and I’m surprised that nobody has simply thought of cutting the power, hence disabling the threat. Even though the code can easily infect the Internet as time pass, nothing is revealed about her truly going rogue. Instead, she’s just infatuated with Keyes.
I like the idea that this CGI wonder is a redhead, and the script plays with some age-old myths about them. The ideas are not necessarily condescending and viewers who take issue must remember, it’s just a movie that plays with stereotypes. At another level, what’s presented is an effective techno-thriller. This A.I. ranks right up there with the MCU from TRON. But when she declares her love for Keyes and is frustrated, there’s some unintentional humour since I figure she wants to mate with him.
Whether Neal Marshall Stevens‘ script meant to suggest that or not, I’m not certain. For Band, I’m sure he wanted the program to suggest the idea, and it’s certainly well conveyed. Ultimately, this screenplay is ultimately about getting people to wake up to smell the roses. Keyes doesn’t have to be a loner. As for whether he can break free from his self imposed prison, I won’t say. Also, to reveal how it all ends would ruin everything. All I can say is that when the marketing revealed that AIMEE The Visitor is a horror film, everyone knows somebody has to bite the bullet. As for who it is, well, they’ll have to stream it on Full Moon Features’ streaming service or VOD to find out.
4 Stars out of 5
AIMEE The Visitor Movie Trailer
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