Curtis (John Cho) 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.

For thoughts on AfrAId, please check out my colleague Gaius Bolling’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

AfrAId comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that effortlessly brings this one to life. This is a film with a natural color palette that is reproduced perfectly here with the appropriate radiance and depth. There are moments of vibrant colors on display including foliage, pieces of clothing, and light sources. This is an impeccably crafted film with crisp shots that allow you to see an incredible amount of detail. There are numerous interior sequences featuring cutting-edge production design which provide a nice reference to showcase the depth at play in the image. Skin tones look very detailed and natural all around. The highlights are handled favorably, along with deep blacks that do not suffer from any compression artifacts or banding. There are no serious signs of any noise or other such digital nuisances. Sony has done some fine work here.

Audio Quality

The film comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that has a suitably complex sound design with quite a bit of nuance and personality. Dialogue comes through clearly without being overpowered by any of the other sounds. Activity in the low end comes alive during the most intense sequences as it adds some force to the proceedings. The track is most active during the thrilling moments when things start to go down. Environmental effects play a notable role in the film with noises emanating from around the house. The use of the rear channels to create a fully enveloping world works quite well. The directionality is precise so that sounds always appear natural when emanating from their respective points. Sony has provided a stellar release here.

Special Features

Dark Side Of AI: A six-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss what drew them to the project, the underlying themes, developing the initial ideas, how the script reflects what is going on in our lives, and more.

Deleted & Extended Scenes: There are five unused scenes provided totaling 15 minutes including an alternate ending.

Previews

Final Thoughts

AfrAId is a prescient film that chews on several ideas that should make us a bit nervous for the future, yet it rarely comes together as an effective horror film. It is competently made with great performers and impressive production design, but the idea is not taken far enough to truly send shivers down your spine. It is somewhere forgettably in the middle of terrifying classic and irredeemable mess. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and a smattering of special features.

AfrAId is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.