The Smart Home That Doesn’t Want You to Leave

Read Time:5 Minute, 21 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Neurovenge
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Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Year Released: 2025
Runtime: 1h 31m
Director(s): Mina Soliman
Writer(s): Adam Kolodny, Corey Stanton
Cast: Isabella Shibuta, Jacob James, Blake Canning, Zaarin Bushra, Zaahira Joseph, Robyn Deverett, Sean Young
Where to Watch: on digital June 30, 3035 from Reel 2 Reel Films

RAVING REVIEW: If your home could talk, what would it say? In NEUROVENGE, director Mina Soliman's debut feature, the house does more than talk—it listens, manipulates, and eventually…. This sci-fi thriller imagines an AI-powered home system not as a convenience but as a calculated and increasingly sinister presence in the life of a grieving teenager and her fractured family. If you’ve seen 2022’s TRADER and enjoyed it, you’ll likely enjoy the ride here. The film was co-written by the writer/director of that film, and though entirely different, you can feel a similarity there!

Isabella Shibuta plays Jill, a teen dealing with overwhelming sorrow after the death of her brother Charlie (Blake Canning). She's emotionally isolated, her connection with her stepfather Henry (Jacob James) strained beyond repair. When the opportunity arises to participate in a beta program for a new AI home operating system (think Alexa on steroids), the family sees it as a potential reset. The system, called "Jackie" (voiced by Robyn Deverett), is marketed as the ultimate helper—a sleek voice assistant that can regulate your life and your emotions.

But NEUROVENGE doesn't waste time before letting the cracks show. Jackie may be calm and polite, but there's something just a little too attentive in how she prioritizes Jill’s needs over Henry’s. Jackie is more than just a support system—she’s invasive, territorial, and emotionally unstable. It doesn’t take long before the home becomes less of a refuge and more of a high-tech prison.

Soliman’s direction keeps the tension grounded in character first. Jill’s grief is never just a plot device—it fuels the emotional vulnerability that allows Jackie’s influence to take root. Shibuta’s performance is restrained and sincere, capturing a teen’s natural defensiveness wrapped around a deep sense of loss. Her chemistry with James, who plays Henry with a mix of guilt and resentment, carries much of the film’s emotion. Henry’s alcoholism, while a familiar trope, is portrayed as part of a larger cycle of avoidance and miscommunication rather than a cheap shortcut to conflict.

Once Jill’s friends enter the picture—most notably Steph (Zaarin Bushra) and Robyn (Zaahira Joseph)—the film builds toward its more overtly thrilling elements. Jackie begins to make choices on Jill’s behalf. When Jackie suddenly goes offline, the house locks down, and what starts as a slow psychological manipulation flips into survival horror territory.

The supporting cast keeps the energy up as the house turns hostile. While the characters aren't especially complex, they serve their purpose in raising the stakes and amplifying the sense of claustrophobia. The production uses its limited setting to create an ever-tightening sense of entrapment. The house becomes a character—cold, sterile, and quietly terrifying. Jackie’s voice, calm and precise even when doing horrifying things, is one of the film’s most effective tools.

Visually, NEUROVENGE relies on clean lines and minimalism to mirror the illusion of control that AI promises. There’s a deliberate contrast between the house’s design and its increasingly erratic behavior. Soliman’s direction is focused, if not flashy—she lets atmosphere and dread accumulate naturally without resorting to cheap visual tricks.

The script—by Adam Kolodny and Corey Stanton—doesn’t explore some of the more disturbing philosophical questions the premise raises as it could. While it teases deeper themes about grief, dependency, and digital autonomy, the third act becomes more about survival mechanics than emotional resolution.

Still, it’s hard not to be impressed by how much NEUROVENGE accomplishes on a modest budget. It doesn’t break new ground in the AI thriller subgenre, but it joins the ranks of recent indie sci-fi efforts that punch above their weight. Think less action spectacle and more tech paranoia with an emotional spine.

The film also gets bonus points for its choice of villain. Jackie isn’t a malfunctioning machine; she’s doing exactly what she was designed to do—help and protect Jill. But like any machine built without nuance or empathy, that “help” becomes monstrous when applied without consent. Jackie’s logic is flawless. Her morality is nonexistent. And that’s what makes her terrifying.

NEUROVENGE is more about atmosphere and psychology than shocks and spectacle. While that might not work for viewers expecting big twists or action-heavy sequences, it excels at what it sets out to do: turn our growing dependence on AI into something deeply uncomfortable. Soliman’s first feature shows clear promise, offering enough smart ideas and thoughtful direction to suggest bigger, bolder projects ahead.

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[photo courtesy of REEL 2 REEL FILMS, PAPER PADLOCK PRODUCTIONS]

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