Dark Cloud

Suffering from memory issues and panic attacks after an accident, former actress Chloe Temple (Alexys Gabrielle) enrolls herself in a tech company's test program agreeing to say in an AI house created to assist her rehabilitation and recovery. Neither her sister (Anna Stranz) nor her boyfriend (Toussaint Morrison) are supportive of her decision, but after the initial awkwardness Chloe does find some comfort in the support and isolation AIDA (Emily Atack) provides. However, she becomes quickly concerned with her privacy and safety where AIDA is concerned.

Director Jay Ness' film is very much in the vein of AI out-of-control sci-fi tale. The company's heads (Justen Jones and Brittany Benjamin) eventually become concerned with AIDA's abnormal behavior learning far too late how things have devolved within her walls. Even for a slow-burn thriller, the film flounders when attempting to ratchet up the tension pushing to the final confrontation between Chloe and AIDA.

One could argue that Dark Cloud does what it sets out to do in presenting a rather simple anti-technology thriller. However, the film lacks both stakes and style in exploring its themes. And despite being on-screen for nearly the entire film we aren't really given much incitive to root for Chloe or feel concerned with the situation she's gotten herself into. A dark cloud may hover over this film, but that has more to do with the questionable script by screenwriter J.J. Kaiser and the film's meager budget rather than any insight to the evils of technology.

Watch the trailer

• Title: Dark Cloud
• IMDb: link