Move Over M3gan The New Future Of A.I. Is T.I.M

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T.I.M
Directed by: Spencer Brown
Written by: Spencer Brown, Sarah Govett
Produced by: Matthew James Wilkinson, Patrick Tolan
Starring: Georgina Campbell, Eamon Farren, Mark Rowley, Amara Karan, and Nathaniel Parker
Release Date: January 12, 2024 in Theaters and On demand
Running Time:101 mins
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Distributor: Brainstorm Media

Abi (Campbell) is an engineer working on her company’s latest project which is an A.I. humanoid called T.I.M. This project, Technologically. Integrated. Manservant or T.I.M has a few bugs that need to be worked out, but when all engineers must bring one home to work with, things take a turn for the worse when T.I.M’s servient programming leads to a dangerous obsession with Abi.

The A.I. fascination has ramped up over the past few years with everything from programs and writing tools implementing A.I. into its infrastructure. There is now a full genre of films dealing with the advances of A.I. and the dangers of its far-reaching intelligence.
T.IM. is another example of why humans must be sure to ease into the use of A.I. and why rushing these tools to the market may lead to disastrous consequences.

Director Spencer Brown does an exceptional job of not only showing the dangers but also the ability of these humanoids to adapt and be self-aware. The cast is a huge asset for the production as all the players are believable and don’t oversell things. Abi (Campbell) and Paul (Rowley) play well off each other, even in the more anxiety-fueled scenes when discussing T.I.M. and how the A.I. is straining their relationship (as the film goes on).

Eamon Farren (T.I.M.) is outstanding, his ability to subtly emote is pretty impressive. His monotone demeanour oozes nightmarish chills and will make the hairs stand up on the viewer’s neck. There’s also an unknowing kindness to him, which evolves into a survival mode throughout the second and third acts.

If there’s one thing that is a strike against the film, it is inevitable predictability, the audience will know where things are headed pretty early on, although there are still a few surprises that caught this avid Horror/science fiction nerd off guard.

The tone of the film does change quite a bit in the third act, it becomes more Horror than science-fiction and a cat-and-mouse game of deceit and truth. Paul is aware of what’s happening and although his warnings fall on deaf ears he still voices them.

T.I.M. is an allegory for humans playing the ultimate maker by creating A.I. beings. The movie is another example or warning of what might happen if we rush into things and don’t fully vet these delicate creations.