The latest addition to the malevolent, malfunctioning AI genre (see also M3gan), this British sci-fi follows novelist Claire (Rachel Shelley) as she tackles her writer’s block by spending a month in a hi-tech creative retreat. Her every need is catered for by Rita (Heida Reed, bringing a creepily effective physicality to the role), a glassy-eyed android helper. A technical glitch rewrites Rita’s programming and the robot helper becomes Claire’s prison warder and her sternest critic. Rita, as she repeatedly informs us, is equipped to deal with “all kinds of medical emergencies”. You can bet that’s a skill that will come in handy before the end of this smart little thriller.
