The ideas of doom and dystopia is a popular theme in the sci-fi genre and I am Mother keeps its subject matter centered on the same tone. It treads on some other familiar concepts while introducing the audience with the imposing android called Mother from the very first act. Netflix has already built up a reputation for presenting quality sci-fi films for the audience and while the familiar premise of I am Mother is not something that advances the genre but it does not disappoint either. The concept of an artificial intelligence as substitute for a human mother is fascinating but when it comes to utilizing the initial momentum to develop a worthy finish, the screenplay by Michael Lloyd Green does not live up to the potential.

Opening in a secure bunker that houses 63,000 human embryos under the care of the Mother, the movie sets up the pace from the very first act. The event that wiped out the human race is never dwelled upon and the drama is mostly centered within the characters in the secure facility. Mother decides to develop and nurture a “daughter” who grows up to be the only human in the lifeless passageways of the bunker. The daughter (Clara Rugaard) is provided with the necessary knowledge, skills and physical prowess under the tutelage of mother who plans to develop another embryo after the daughter is successfully developed. This pacific setting is interrupted by the appearance of another human being, an injured and paranoid woman (Hilary Swank).

As the woman and Mother stands on the opposite ends of the trust scale, it is for the daughter to be torn between his love for an android and a sense of curiosity that draws her towards a living human. Sinister motives and deceits are revealed as the movie opens up a larger canvas. With just three characters to deal with in a confined space, Grant Sputore who directs his first feature film, keeps the pacing steady enough so that the audience does not lose interest or feel claustrophobic.

There are twists and turns that keep coming as the pace picks up and the plot ultimately moves beyond the boundaries of the facility in to the scorched and desolate landscape of earth. The movie remains visually stimulating while keeping up the level of intrigue high enough to make it engrossing. The director deserves the credit for balancing the character moments with the right amount of tension through some fine detailing. Even though the premise is familiar you will find plenty of surprises coming your way.

Clara Rugaard provides an impressive performance as the young girl with the right touch of innocence and vulnerability. Hilary Swank is powerful in her role of the distraught woman and Rose Byrne lends a balmy tone free from inflections to the formidable frame of Mother. Unfortunately, with all the promising setup and wonderful performances I am Mother builds up a base that never touches the apex and somehow flattens out in the third act.

There are many points that remain unanswered and will keep bothering an astute viewer. While the android-human relationship is nicely developed, the daughter’s reactions after meeting a real human or after stepping out into the outer world are underplayed. But the movie excels in small brushstrokes that the director places in certain areas, for e.g. a sticker placed on a metal surface.

The director has controlled the actual depiction of the violence and relied a lot more on the derived implications. The ending of the movie also comes with a twist it will surely leave some viewers with a prick of vexation. I am Mother is not about humans being the heroes or AI being the absolute villain. Whether you enjoy the movie or not depends on the way you prefer your science fiction stories to play out. If you like to speculate about the endings with a desolate note that allows the viewers to form their own surmise, I am Mother is the right choice for you. For the others, it is just another fresh entry in the much used human versus AI theme line.

By Suvajit Banerjee

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