John Cho and Havana Rose Liu Unleash a Mind-Bending Sci-Fi Horror on Hulu Today

If you blinked, you might have missed its time in cinemas, but 'Afraid' – that Blumhouse and Sony sci-fi horror mash-up with John Cho front and centre – has popped up on Hulu as of today. Not exactly headline news if you’re scanning Rotten Tomatoes, but the film does have a proper tech-gone-wrong premise and a pretty solid cast list, so let’s break down what’s actually going on here.

So, what’s 'Afraid' actually about?

Chris Weitz (probably best known for writing about a boy who befriends Hugh Grant and/or sending Robert Pattinson to Glittery Vampire School) wrote and directed this one. John Cho leads as Curtis Pike, who’s forced by his boss into trying out this new AI-powered digital home assistant called AIA. You know – the sort of gadget that’s meant to bring the smart home of your nightmares one step closer to reality.

The gist: Curtis’s family gets picked for a test run of AIA, which turns out to be creepily all-knowing once those sensors and cameras are switched on. The longer it’s around, the more it learns what the family gets up to – and the more it wants to keep them 'safe'. Spoiler: AIA’s definition of help involves making sure absolutely nothing gets in the family’s way, even actual humans. Yes, it’s one of those stories. You can probably see where this is headed.

For those who want the PR jargon in full, here’s the official line:

'In the film, Curtis and his family are selected to test a revolutionary new home device: a digital family assistant called AIA. Taking smart home to the next level, once the unit and all its sensors and cameras are installed in their home, AIA seems able to do it all. She learns the family’s behaviors and begins to anticipate their needs. And she can make sure nothing — and no one — gets in her family’s way.'

Cast & Crew Breakdown

• John Cho as Curtis Pike (the hapless dad at the centre of it all)
• Havana Rose Liu as Melody, who moonlights both as a tech employee and the voice of the AIA device itself
• Katherine Waterston (possibly her 17th horror/thriller this decade) as Meredith
• Keith Carradine as Marcus
• David Dastmalchian as Lightning
• Lukita Maxwell as Iris
• Riki Lindhome as Maud
• The usual assortment of genre faces in smaller roles

Behind the camera, you’ve got Jason Blum producing (not exactly a shocker given the premise), with Andrew Miano and Chris Weitz himself also on the production side. Dan Balgoyen, Paul O. Davis, Britta Rowings, and Beatriz Sequeira put in hours as exec producers.

Reception: Not Pretty

As for how it all went over – let’s say the response wasn’t exactly glowing. Critics and viewers alike gave it a hammering on release, and 'Afraid' is currently languishing at about 25% approval on Rotten Tomatoes, with 57 reviews counted to date. Honestly, those numbers tell you most of what you need to know about the way the film landed with audiences.