Director Franklin Ritch makes a promising debut in The Artifice Girl from XYZ Films. Gareth (Ritch) is an internet vigilante who develops a revolutionary new computer program to combat online predators. Deena (Sinda Nichols) and Amos (David Girard) are special agents who specialize in online predators and have discovered the revolutionary computer program that uses a fake child named Cherry (Tatum Matthews) as bait.
Naturally, they want to team up with Gareth despite his troubled past. However, the duo soon finds that the A.I.’s inevitable advancement is far more rapid and incalculable than they could have imagined, posing unforeseen challenges and unsettling consequences for the future of technology and humankind.
A.I. technology is quickly becoming a cultural norm in the world of entertainment. I’m sure you’ve seen resolution photos of mock movies such as The Matrix, starring Will Smith as Neo, or The Avengers with Tom Cruise in the role of Tony Stark. Musically, A.I. developers have found a way to create songs with voices that sound almost identical to artists such as Kanye West and Jay-Z. They can do anything a digital creator wants to do with A.I.
All of that said, Ritch’s debut appears right on time. Earlier this year, Universal had a huge with M3Gan. Ritch avoids this angle and successfully paints a narrative about human nature being the true monster. The film starts with a solid opening where the agents grill Gareth, and we learn his backstory and reasons for creating the program. The second act transitions into the results of the software, and in the third act, set years in the future, we have a seasoned Gareth (now played by Lance Henikersen) reflecting.
The Artifice Girl is very dialogue-driven, but this is a wise choice for Ritch’s story. The team of mostly unknown actors delivers solid performances tapping into the character template a movie of this type requires. Everyone generally has a solid monologue moment where they shine, with Matthews providing solid work as she avoids bratty or forced one-liners and instead taps into childhood innocence. Furthermore, it’s always welcome to see Lance Henikersen on screen.
A.I. films are nothing new in Hollywood, as iconic directors such as James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, and Spike Jonze have explored the topic with well-received results. Ritch can now add his name to the list with his debut.
Final Grade: B
The Artifice Girl is in theaters, digital and On demand April 27th
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