T.I.M.: The Creepy New AI Thriller To Watch On Netflix
If there’s one word on everyone’s lips at the moment, it’s AI: the futuristic technology that once seemed like sci-fi is now everywhere, from internet memes to the workplace. It’s been a theme this year in TV’s Black Mirror and films including Mission Impossible and The Pod Generation, and now Netflix has released the unnerving new thriller T.I.M. about an AI robot that as you might expect ends up taking a sinister turn.
Starring Georgina Campbell (Bird Box Barcelona) and Mark Rowley (The Witcher: Blood Origin), the film feels creepily relevant in today’s increasingly AI-dominated world.
What is T.I.M. about?
T.I.M. shares a fairly similar setup to this year’s surprise horror hit MEGAN, about another rogue robot, but Netflix’s film plays it pretty straight.
Abi (Campbell) is a skilled and innovative prosthetics engineer, who moves on from a previous job to a new endeavour at a tech firm that’s developing robots. She’s introduced to the technologically integrated manservant (conveniently shortened to TIM), the most advanced robot that the firm has created so far. Abi and her husband Paul (Rowley) have been trying to rebuild their life after his infidelity, and she’s surprised when she’s gifted a TIM from the firm of her own to keep.
What else do we know?
Played by Twin Peaks actor Eamon Farren, TIM, with his blank-eyed stare, dull blue jacket and slicked blonde hair, bears more than a passing resemblance to Michael Fassbender’s nefarious android David in the Prometheus and Alien films and is as much of a nuisance.
At first, he seems to be decent enough company. Robotic of course, but still able to do most of the tasks around the house and give Abi a helping hand. TIM informs her on their first meeting that he needs a “safe phrase” to work: “a series of four words that will trigger immediate shut down- to ensure peace of mind.”
However, things start going wrong when TIM starts getting obsessed with Abi and perceives Paul to be a threat. He begins to ignore protocol, and, even worse, stops responding to the safe phrase. With her apparently perfect robot now coming after her, Abi is stuck in a fight for survival.
When does T.I.M. release?
T.I.M. is directed by comedian Spencer Brown, and co-written with him by his wife and novelist Sarah Govett. The film is available to stream on Netflix right now, so you can see exactly how things pan out for Abi.
