I Am Mother (2019) User Reviews (807)

Mothers' plan isn't bulletproof..

[niriath · 8/10 · 4 July 2020]

It has been explained by a lot of reviewers here so I don't feel the need to add more to it. Daughter is now becoming Mother to a whole new, psychologically and emotionally, superior generation of humans, and it seems Mothers' plan has worked. Just one big BUT:

We can see that Mother clearly has no problem with disposing of/aborting/killing any imperfect child it has raised. But she raised Daughter to value human life so it's fair to assume Daughter herself will not be killing any of the children she is raising, even the imperfect ones. So with imperfect humans raising more imperfect humans won't humanity eventually end up in the same place it was before the extinction?..

Do not watch the trailer.

[Elaphi · 8/10 · 3 August 2019]

The trailer gives away the entire movie. Don't watch the trailer.

A familiar formula, well executed.

[lynsieharris · 8/10 · 2 February 2019]

Fans of Ex Machina and other cerebral sci-fi movies will find another favorite here. The lead actress makes a stunning debut and carries the film, with Hilary Swank in a supporting role. The film constantly has you changing allegiances, unsure of who to trust. The finale is super satisfying.

For the commenter wondering why there are reviews already, I Am Mother premiered at Sundance and has probably been viewed by at least ~1,000 people by this point- myself included.

Such an underrated piece of Sci-Fi!

[nguyenbakhanhbicondova · 9 June 2019]

The reviews I read only gave me the impression that this would be a decent thriller, not...this. After watching one generic blockbuster after another, it's always so nice to see small, creative films like I Am Mother are still getting made. I'm really curious about how much did this film cost, because it looks really impressive, but I also have the feeling that it has a very small budget. This films has solid acting and interesting characters, it touches on complicated ideas with a tightly paced narrative from start to finish and managed to keep me on the edge of my sit till the very end. If you love to treat yourself with some great science fiction, I highly recommend I Am Mother.

Not Boring, Not Brilliant, I Am Good

[TheAnimalMother · 7/10 · 13 May 2020]

A good thought provoking sci-fi. It's not as boring as some are saying, nor is it nearly as brilliant as some others are claiming. It is good though. A cautionary tale about advanced AI. If you like a thinker, watch it. Don't expect 2001 or anything, it's not even in the same league, but it's a reasonably good watch if you enjoy films you have to think about to fully appreciate. The film definitely has a few big holes, however it also creates some slightly new perspectives a person can ponder. So if you're into that kind of film, then this is one of them. 7/10

What happened to the dog?

[norockets · 7/10 · 19 August 2019]

What happened to the dog? What happened to the dog?

AI/Robot offspring graduates "med school" early

[Turfseer · 6/10 · 27 March 2023]

If you recall "Skynet" from the Terminator series, the same basic idea is being used here in I Am Mother. An artificial intelligence system wages war on humanity after becoming sentient.

Unlike Terminator, where the AI system simply wants to destroy all humanity, AI in I Am Mother seeks to replace the human race with a stock of "superior" humans, raised in a bunker beginning with an assortment of frozen embryos.

The AI system is interconnected to thousands of robots guided by one in particular named "Mother" (voiced by Rose Byrne and performed by Luke Hawker).

Mother selects one embryo and in effect raises her test tube baby until she becomes a teenager called "Daughter" (with Clara Rugaard in the starring role). Director Grant Sputore cleverly creates a montage revealing just how Mother raises Daughter in this high-tech underground playpen.

It soon becomes clear that Mother has been grooming Daughter for some bigger things like maybe one day taking over raising all the test tube babies soon to be "hatched."

Like any good parent, having your kid getting an early jump on an obligatory med school education is a priority.

Mother is Daughter's tutor and not only inculcates technical skills but also focuses on ethics, crucial into molding Daughter into the "Übermensch" she must become if humanity is to be successfully replaced.

Daughter is asked a key question during one of her examinations-would she sacrifice herself as an organ donor to save a group of five patients? Mother is undoubtedly more than satisfied when Daughter qualifies her actions by inquiring about the character of her patients.

Suppose the patients were thieves or murderers, she asks. The distinction makes it clear that Daughter already has developed the notion that there are higher and lower humans, defined by the moral choices they make.

Daughter however must soon resolve a big tissue of cognitive dissonance following the sudden appearance of Woman (Hillary Swank) who wants into the bunker after being shot under mysterious circumstances.

Daughter hesitates because Mother has taught her that the surface of the earth is still contaminated after nuclear war.

Soon we learn everything that happens here on in is a test designed by Mother to determine the strength of Daughter's character. Daughter lets Woman in because she is at heart a good, caring person.

That early med school training really comes in handy when Daughter removes the bullet in Woman's stomach saving her life

The bigger test transpires when Daughter learns that Woman is Mother's first child, cast out due to her imperfections. Worse is when Daughter discovers that Mother murdered her second child (cremating her in a high tech kiln).

Understandably Daughter is now upset with Mother who dangles a carrot-she allows Daughter to select an embryo which will be born the next day as her newly minted brother.

The final test occurs when Woman takes Daughter as a hostage as they both flee to the surface of the earth. Woman led Daughter to believe she was involved in a protracted guerilla war against the robots but finally admits she's the only human left standing as apparently the robots have completed their intention to exterminate all humanity.

For all those who gave I am Mother low scores, we now understand why.

Daughter ends up returning to the bunker where her wish is granted to become the real mother to all the soon-to-born embryos-with Mother's permission she eliminates her as humanity's caretaker.

But it's very unpleasant because after all Daughter has made a deal with the devil. She agrees to become a mother with the full knowledge that her own mother murdered one of her children and abandoned another in order to mold Daughter into an alleged superior human.

And what of Woman? Sputore intentionally has made her into an unlikable, loathsome character-a perfect example of the oppressed attempting to become the oppressor, but failing miserably.

The deck is stacked against Woman as it's made it clear that she's being used as part of the test to groom Daughter.

Should we expect Woman to be any better than the way she turned out? Even if she was "imperfect" to begin with, she was treated so miserably by the AI system-a witness to the extermination of humanity-that there is no reason why anyone should look down on her.

Nonetheless Daughter opts to play Mother's game with the full knowledge she is party to a crime. That is the irony of the story-the ethical Daughter participates in Mother's dastardly eugenics scheme.

I guess Woman just couldn't pass her med school finals. Is Sputore unconsciously approving of the elitism of technocracy and "science" or is Daughter the real deal simply following her maternal instinct?

I Am Mother has quite a bit of suspense through two thirds of the narrative, but the payoff is a little disappointing for the reasons elucidated above. Rugaard is great as the beleaguered mother-to-be but Swank can do little with the unpleasant role of a woman who can't catch a break.

Your next Sci-fi fix

[onjur14 · 7/10 · 23 June 2019]

This movie is similar to Ex Machina in some ways. It's suspenseful and keeps you guessing. There's many secrets that are unravelled throughout the movie, can be dark at times and is executed well. It centres more on human morals, compassion and responsibility.

There's a small cast but they're more than enough to carry the movie. Great acting, great character development and plot. Give it a go.

Who will you trust?

[eelen-seth · 7/10 · 4 June 2019]

In I Am Mother, we find ourselves in a dystopian worlds where all human life has been wiped out. It's Day 1 and Daughter (Clara Rugaard) is born from a frozen embryo. 6,000 days later, she's a young woman taking personality exams and is training to be a doctor. A robot (made by the amazing Weta Workshop) voiced by Rose Byrne is her Mother. She can show a wide range of believable emotions and can move just like humans do.

The production design is the film's highest selling points, with its Apple-ish slickness. Its scenario isn't that groundbreaking, but it's the way it's executed that makes this an interesting watch. At some point, Daughter goes on a little stroll through the big bunker and decides to open the locked vault doors out of curiosity. She hears cries for help and a lost Woman (Hilary Swank) seems to have been shot and in need of care. Daughter lets her in, and soon finds out she doesn't really like droids, in a violent show-off. Daughter finds herself caught in the middle of two worlds - will she stay loyal to her protector or is she too intrigued by the unknown and ready to throw everything she knows overboard?

Science-fiction has never looked more slick and that's mainly because of Mother. The attention to detail is praiseworthy, as is its sound design. You can't help but look at every corner just to see something new and innovative. Even the make up department deserves a high five. Clara Rugaard who plays Daughter, outshines Hilary Swank with ease. Her acting seems effortless and natural, reminiscent of Hailee Steinfeld.

I Am Mother is mostly about what it means to be good. It tries to show us how AI might try to understand kindness in a world where people only seem to want more and push themselves into extinction. Swank's character tries to make Daughter question herself and her beliefs and shows just how powerful an outsider can be that gives you another look at life. The film is also about parenting and how every parent can fail at what they think is best for their child.

Australian director Grant Sputore's debut film gives us a dramatised look at humans and our love-hate relationship with artificial intelligence. Its thriller aspect on a mysterious apocalyptic event makes it all the more interesting, when figuring out what Mother's actual intentions are.

Review by Seth Eelen

Even the title is misleading. Brilliant.

[skyshops · 10/10 · 10 June 2019]

I cannot say anything else that has not been said yet about the plot. Yes, the Woman (Hilary Swank) is APX01, yes the daughter (Clara Rugaard) is APX03 and APX02 was killed by the droid. Yes, I say droid because even though Daughter called the droid Mother, the title clearly states that the real mother is the one being prepared for motherhood by the droid, the Daughter. Hence the title « I am Mother », the last scene shows Daughter being the Mother of the new mankind, she has been raised to become the real Mother. That's why somewhere in the beginning, when the first child asked the droid about why her brothers and sisters could not be created at once, the droid answers that ´Mothers need time to learn', i.e. the child needs to be up to standard and pass the test before the others can be 'born'. This movie is a gem and definitely asks to be watched twice. Netflix did it right this time.

I am Mother contains spoilers

[carlizimmerman · 7/10 · 21 September 2020]

Contains spoilers

The movie I am Mother (Sputore, 2019) is set in a post-apocalyptic time. In this movie there are three main characters. Mother, who is a droid, voice by Rose Byrne. Daughter is played by Clara Rugaard and Woman is played by Hillary Swank. In this Sci-Fi film, Mother raises Daughter to produce an "ethically good human" after the destruction of all other humans. This was to begin the repopulating of the Earth. Once Daughter is a teenager, she discovers that she is not the only human on the planet. She rescues the wounded woman who finds her way to the bunker. During the time that Woman is in the bunker with Daughter and Mother, Daughter hears very different stories from Woman about what has been happening outside the protective walls of the bunker. There are no consistencies with what Daughter has grown up learning from Mother and what Woman says. Daughter becomes very curious about the differences. She does some investigating on her own and finds out that she was not the first human child that Mother produced Daughter gets frightened and decides that she should escape the bunker with Woman. After the escape from the bunker, Daughter discovers that Woman has also lied to her about outside. Daughter goes back to the bunker to get Brother, who is a newborn. Daughter then destroys the droid that raised her. Mother decides that Woman was a failed experiment and kills her in the end. The theme to I am Mother questions who has the right to decide what makes an ethically good human. One scene that comes to mind is when Daughter is in class and Mother brings up the question about five people needing an organ transplant and patient six is a match for all five. Does Daughter, as the doctor, treat the sixth patient to let that person live or not treat the patient and instead use the organs to save the other five patients? Daughter replied that she would help the many instead of only the one patient. After that, Mother asks what if she where the doctor and a match for all five patients. Would she sacrifice herself to help the other five patients? Daughter replied that she would suffer harm to aid the others. Mother is pleased with the answers that Daughter gives. The next scene that deals with what makes an ethically good human is one surrounding Woman's decision-making skills. While in the bunker, Woman lies to Daughter saying that there are other humans in the mines and that the two of them should go and be with the other humans. She lies to Daughter to get her to leave the safety of the bunker so she would not have to be alone. While escaping the bunker, Woman threatens to harm Daughter if Mother does not let them out of there. Once the two women reach where Woman lives, Daughter questions where all the other people are. Woman admits to lying to save herself. At the end of the movie, a droid, with the voice of Mother, comes into the shed where the woman is and tells her she is no longer needed and kills her. The action that makes Mother realize that Daughter passed her test of being an ethically good human was when Daughter returned to the bunker to care for Brother. Daughter selflessly gave up her freedom to come back and care for him. Because of this, Mother gives Daughter the freedom to decide how she is going to raise the embryos without any guidance. A few things that I had noticed about the lighting in the movie is that in the bunker it is primarily dark until Daughter is born. This symbolizes the dark days of the end of humanity. Daughter wears brightly colored clothes and has made brightly colored pictures on the walls. To me, the use of bright colors symbolized the hope of a brighter future for Daughter and the rest of humankind after they start the repopulation process. Once out of the bunker, the lighting remains dismal and dark showing how mankind has ruined the earth. The sky is dark, and cloud- covered; the sun is barely visible. It is not until they get to the ocean that you see the colors of the mountains and surroundings at the ocean. They are not vivid, but you can tell that they are different colors. Another film element that is in the movie are the internal conflicts of Daughter. The main conflict is her loyalty to Mother and her family or the Woman who has made it into the bunker. Daughter finds out that some of the stories that Mother has told her are lies. For example, the destruction of humans was brought on by the humans themselves by going to war. Also, in Daughter's investigation she finds out that she was not the first human created by Mother. Between the things Daughter has learned from her investigation and stories Woman tells Daughter decides to leave with Woman. When Daughter and Woman get to the storage depot, Daughter finds out that Woman has lied to her also. Since this has happened, Daughter decides to return to the bunker to raise Brother. The movie I am Mother does an excellent job of portraying what the world could be like if it were to go into a post-apocalyptic setting. The lighting and drab color pallet used in the film showed how gloomy the world would be. The scenery used to show the desolation of the Earth gave you a feeling of hopelessness. The bright colors used for Daughter's wardrobe gave a sense of hope that she could hold the key to mankind's future.

People mistake hint for an error (13867 days)

[lessermagic · 9/10 · 8 June 2019]

A lot of folks here say that Daughter should be 38 years old, so the "13867 days passed since extinction event" was an error. It was not. The woman (played by Hilary Swank) was in fact the first child brought up by Mother. Daughter was APX03, the remains in the incinerator was APX02, the woman was APX01.

A simple but interesting plot that surprisingly not understood by many viewers

[regexfan · 7/10 · 30 June 2019]

I seldomly liked Netflix movies, they're usually below par so to say, so I didn't have high expectations for this one. But surprisingly, this one happened to be really good, I really liked the movie. First of all, if you are looking for a thriller, fast-pace, intense, full of actions type of movie, you can skip this one, as I'm sure you will be left unsatisfied and ended up rating this 1 out of 10. If you're expecting a very original plot that has never been done before, like ever, you can skip this too. But if you don't mind a familiar plot with a different touch, clever twist, solid acting, and good execution, then watch this movie, you will be pleasantly surprised.

What is interesting to me, after reading other reviews here on IMDb, is the fact that many people seemed to not fully understand the plot, calling it "plot holes". I thought the plot is simple enough, and for some people to not even understand it maybe proves that people nowadays are so used to being spoon fed, everything needs to be shown or told in a literal way in order for them to understand it. I mean, what part of APX03 and APX02 don't you understand? It's like a dead giveaway right there. And mother coming to see the woman and asking her "How do you think you could survive this long?" -that's like the biggest giveaway ever but still some people didn't get it. I don't want to give away too much so go ahead, open Netflix, and watch for yourself.

Intriguing, Original but with a Messy and Disappointing Conclusion

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 30 June 2019]

After the extinction of the human race, an android called "Mother" is responsible to repopulate Earth using a collection of embryos stored in a base. Her teenage daughter (Clara Rugaard) is submitted to classes and tests to assess her development as human being. When the daughter finds a mouse inside the base, she suspects that the outside is no longer contaminated. One day, she sees a wounded woman (Hilary Swank) outside the base and let her in. Soon she will learn news that will affect her relationship with her Mother.

"I am Mother" is an intriguing and original sci-fi with a promising storyline. Unfortunately the conclusion is messy and disappointing. The incoherent behavior of the daughter trusting in a stranger is weird and inconsistent with her education. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

When droids raise you

[ComedyFan2010 · 7/10 · 9 June 2019]

This is a pretty nice sci fi movie. Movies about machines and humans live together and whether one cant trust each other are common. Ex Machina comes to mind. But usually it is humans "raising" the robots. In this case it is the other way around.

It feels a bit slow but I guess this represents well what life feels like for the daughter. It also gives us a good feeling of the terrifying atmosphere when the daughter needs to decide between her droid mother and another human. Whom can she trust? The droid looks pretty scary but at the same has this soothing motherly voice which is a great combination for this kind of movie.

Great acting and I like the idea behind Hilary Swank's character and who it is supposed to be. They never say it out loud but the ones who follow what is said will know.

Keeps you guessing

[jared79 · 7/10 · 7 June 2019]

While they didn't every question, the ending left me satisfied enough to warranty a recommendation for this film. Great to see a good sci-fi made here in Australia. Most Australian films I find dull and artsy. This was not. The robot looks amazing and the story moves along at a decent speed, enough to keep you interested anyway.

An over simplified explanation

[mobcritter · 7/10 · 3 July 2019]

The Netflix movie: "I Am Mother," an over simplified explanation with SPOILERS What came before: Humans create the robots and the AI that controls them. Its purpose is to protect and nurture the whole of humanity. The AI determines that the greatest threat to the wellbeing of humanity are the individual humans themselves. They are selfish and self-indulgent. The AI logically concludes that the best course of action is to remove the current humans and raise a new, caring, and self-sacrificing breed of humans. The AI executes the plan. What happens during the movie: The robot Mother is raising and training (or indoctrinating and programming) a single human, Daughter. Why just one? It reduces the number of variables, thus increasing the possibility of success. Why a girl child? The selection of a girl child may be based on the sexist assumption that females are inherently more nurturing than males, more motherly or maternal. This may be a good time to address the possibility of there being other incubation facilities. There could be thousands of them scattered around the globe. Each facility tests different variations of the plan in an attempt to improve the chances of achieving success. That would, however, be an entirely different movie. This movie shows the events at a single incubation facility. There have been previous daughters, but the movie is only concerned with the current effort. This Daughter has successfully passed each stage in her development, so far. Then came Woman. She is purported to be from a small remnant colony of humans who have survived the robot apocalypse and are living in a mine somewhere. However, in reality, Daughter has entered the next stage of her training, and Woman is part of that - the temptation of freedom, of cutting the apron strings and becoming your own person. This test too, she finally passes by sacrificing her desires to her brother's needs. One of the robots seeks out Woman, and the AI speaks through it, "as if someone had a purpose for you, until now." The Woman was created by the robots solely for the final test. Now that she's played her part, she's no longer needed. Daughter becomes Mother.

I love the idea

[aaaad-74847 · 7/10 · 8 April 2020]

I want season two. I didn't know that this is a low-budget movie it is the best movie I saw From Netflix. If you love Sci-fi you will like this

Good movie, just lazily written...

[shanekracht · 6/10 · 25 June 2019]

I want to start by saying this is a good movie, cinematically it is shot beautifully. The music and intensity of some of the scenes are gripping and the movie keeps you engaged the entire way through.

My main issue however is, we get it the injured woman (Hilary Swank) is APX01. For the people saying that this went over people's head, I don't believe that's the case. My problem is with how they lazily expected the audience to interpret that without explaining or even attempting to give the audience the information necessary to understand that.

The major questions we are left with are: 1) Who were these people APX01 had memories of? 2) Why couldn't APX01 remember being raised there? Are we just suppose to believe she wiped her memory? 3) Was APX01's memory never wiped and she simply came to the facility to save APX03 by lying about there being other people? 4) If APX01 was just lying then why didn't mother kill her at the door instead of compromise everything she had going? All of these questions could have easily been answered by a simple dialogue or conversation between APX01 and Mother in the shopping container at the end. But instead of giving the audience the context and information necessary to be a "plot twist" it just seems lazy, like they felt like giving the audience the cliche of "leaving it up to the imagination". The problem is that only works when you have enough information to formulate your idea (e.g. Inception).

Again I thought this movie had a great idea and capitalized well on the scene and scenario it painted. I just wish writers would stop doing this "leave it up to the audience" thing incorrectly and at least give us the tools to understand the picture they are attempting to paint.

Stunning psychological sci-fi thriller. My Observations, fact finding and some thoughts.

[kanter-35787 · 10/10 · 11 June 2019]

First of al, I'd like to start as other reviewers have that are leaving positive ratings; if your not looking to think, or want to digest an easy to handle sci-fi action flick, then this movie is not for you, or not for you at that time.

If you like critical thinking, questions surrounding borderline ethical choices, a visceral slow-burn sci-fi with a meaningful and thought provoking message that contains pleasing visuals (so much attention to details) and a well placed soundtrack then look no further.

**************************************SPOILERS*****************************************

Yes, this movie is designed to make you think and wonder if humanity would be better off starting over with a "hard reboot." Man creates AI. AI surpasses man in every way, literally becomes "the creator and the destroyer," and attempts to reboot mankind by starting over from scratch. The idea itself is not new to the genre, but the story, characters, acting and dialog are done extremely well. This movie sucks you in and keeps you vested until the very end, and dare I say wanting more (which is a good thing). It is delivered in a way not many others have accomplished before. Thought provoking on par with Kubrick, Nolan, and the directors that gave you Encino Man.

It has been mentioned far too many times in other reviews that there are plot holes that are left open, opportunities missed, and sometimes simple mistakes overlooked. I say that the beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that common sense isn't always so common. From memory of watching the movies just two hours ago, I can only think of 2, maybe 3 instances where the information is left too ambiguous and we have to assume for ourselves. I believe everything else is explained. Let me make some points, and hopefully get those that came here for answers, to get their creative thinking juices flowing. -----------------------------------------

If you're still with me then I am going to assume that you have watched the movie. Some of these will be short, but if you have watched you will know what I mean. I will try my best to stay in chronological order of the movie and point out some of the less obvious stuff (some of this has been covered in other reviews, some not as of yet).

--Everything was planned. From the childhood training, surgical training, finding out the truth about the bullet pulled from the woman, how the woman was shot by "other droids", the food given to the woman in the hospital bed ("comfort food".... not healthy. We're talking mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, okay...some peas), etc.All meticulously planned by Mother. Time has no meaning when you don't age.

--Of course the hazmat suit was a plant, it was intentionally left there.

--Allowing daughter to open the door for a human who was injured, prior to daughter knowing that there was no virus; thus sacrificing herself and her safety to help others in need. Test, passed. Refer back to the ethical questions during the doctor test.

--The surgery is a final test on how well daughter can perform as a doctor. Daughter passed.

--lying about the virus and when and how she finds out about the virus, set-up for test... ...telling daughter she lied for the greater good (about the virus) and they way that she found out, test. Mother wanted to know how she would process that information and if she would make the correct ethical choice to help those in need; using logic,reasoning, empathy AND compassion above impulsive choices to just close the door and walk away. Passed.

--The mines and the talk about the mines. I believe this is one of only a few issues that are ambiguous and may have been slightly overlooked...The mines... 2 theories. a) If you watch again, I believe that there were more embryos missing than just 3. Mother planted the mine as a social experiment, leading ax01 to them.... a social group experiment for a group setting, and how they would react if a newcomer showed up and what they would do to survive, or b) the mines never happened. Made up memories due to ptsd, extreme psychological distress and extreme isolation. Woman was cray cray after being out on her own and "hunted" for years.... bringing us to: ax01 was never "let go" or escaped. She was allowed to leave so mother could record what she would do, and this was her (Ax01) test... failed.

-- Letting daughter leave, after seeing and finding out that she (ax03) has been "aborted". Also a test; referring back to her lesson about making the correct choice in the situation where daughter is the doctor and healthy, but is the only one who has compatible organs for the other 5 humans.... would she sacrifice herself for the survival of the others? Yes, letting daughter believe she would be killed if she came back (or stayed) was planted. The test was to see if she would sacrifice herself for the greater good of saving the others (brother and embryos) at the cost of her own life. She came back thus passing that test. ---- I'll admit... woman putting a knife to daughter's throat could not have been planned; i think this is one of those situations where we are left to rationalize that mother had thought of this scenario, and deduced that if she let them both go unharmed that woman would not intentionally harm daughter.

-- For Ax01? Entire life up until the end was a test. The woman may have failed to be the next mother, but how would she fair out in the world on her own? How would she react to mother, whom when (re)introduced to woman showed nothing but compassion... but was subjected to (perceived) violent AI for a long period of time? Woman was given the chance to not only survive but thrive in the bunker. Test failed (by Ax01). Her lasting hatred and unwillingness to change led to her ultimate demise. With daughter passing the tests and ax01 failing her last test, the experiment was concluded. As mother said, "it's as if you have been able to survive alone for so long for a reason, as if someone had a higher purpose for you." Well that purpose has been fulfilled now that ax01 has proven that she overwhelmingly failed.

--The figures drawn by ax01? Drawings of religious figures, more than likely from a religious book planted by mother (ambiguous again, more than likely Catholic Christian book). What would ax01 do if she found religion, would she hate AI even more and buy in religious ideologies? And the drawings names? Simon (saint)... can't remember other names right now but they were saints as well; the names of these saints come from a religion and were based from a nurturing god, not a wrathful god.

--Leaving the droid hand out? Test. Will daughter do what is necessary to find the truth, given more than one option? When posed with an ethical grey area, would she bend the rules, choose the lesser of two evils (use hand and break in, or blindly follow claims from an external source with no factual evidence?). Test for: "given the situation, which option is more ethical?" Finding the truth was the correct answer.

--Mother letting daughter shoot her? Closure, but with a simple reminder letting her know that she will always be around ( in a super nice "if you need me you know where...." kinda way. Plus, daughter has no idea that mother has, and can record everything. Mothers bunker shell doesn't matter what-so ever but psychologically provides closure for daughter, letting her think that mother is on the " outside" no longer interfering.

-- The last test is to see how she will raise the embryos with all of her life training and given the fact that she knows mother (assumed so, this was never given how the race actually became extinct) killed the race and why she did, but raised her to be the second coming and a fully devoted mother, how will she manage with this knowledge? With acceptance and willingness, or with revenge and hatred? Remember, mother will always be there, watching and waiting. Test - not yet completed.

--Logic, reason, compassion, ethics and morality (the greater good), deduction, ability to make clear choices under extreme stress. This whole movie from the time we arrive at her current age was the final test. Technically daughter is still taking the final "test".

Bonus food for thought:

-- Ax01 life experiences? Wrathful god. AX03? Nurturing god, which works best for the survival of the human race? Nurturing - passed by mother; remember she said that AX03 and this "test" was as much as a test of her abilities as it was for daughter.

--I'll admit ax02's demise is a bit ambiguous, but I find it very hard to believe that ax02 was killed for not passing some tests and furthermore, I believe that this director (and movie) are far too intelligent to miss an oversight / plot hole as large as the adult human jawbone left in the incinerator. I am willing to venture that the bone was planted like everything else. You really think of all the bones in a human body, the jaw bone would not be destroyed AND somehow fall behind the incinerator table? Ambiguous and highly doubtful, but possible.

-- One of the only other things I think we are left to guess is that the fine art that mother had ad01 focus on was drawing / artist... daughter was dancer. Both forms of art but in different expressions ushering different feelings and emotions.

Surprisingly good MAJOR SPOILERS

[memayrinck · 7/10 · 22 March 2020]

This movie was a good surprise given its dumb name and terrible marketing. It has layers. It has depth. The young girl does a fantastic job. Not a fan of Hillary Swank and all those teeth but I get it. She's 1, 2 was burned, 3 is the new and improved form of "Eve". The memories she can't recall, the droids taking care of the world with a collective consciousness, underground living, all starting to sound a bit too real during this corona quarantine, which is when I watched this movie. Amidst a world wide pandemic (wanted to leave that here on the record). The first of many that my generation will probably see. If humanity had to start over, I like the girl chosen and the concept. Watch if you enjoy sci-fi (now possibly reality) but not if you're suffering from cabin fever due to the corona quarantine.

Don't trust the bad reviews! They didn't understand the movie

[thoriumop · 10/10 · 8 June 2019]

***SPOILERS***

First I'll address some of the bad reviews and then I'll write a general review with some side-rant :)

The people who rated the movie poorly seem to have either not watched the film or lack some sort of basic intelligence. Most of the plot holes, issues or thing that "wouldn't happen" we're justified/justifyable. One person said that the robot was too dumb in the film and that real AI wouldn't be that dumb. Clearly that person failed to realize that everything that happened was the robot's intent. So if everything worked as the robot had intended, how does that make the robot dumb? The robot literally said to the woman in the shipping crate that she no longer served a purpose to her (the robot). As I was watching the film, I figured one of the scenarios was that the whole thing was a test for the girl and that in the end the girl passed. The robot's ultimate objective is to create a better human, one with ethical, moral, psychological and emotional superiority.

General Review: The movie is quite a good sci-fi movie. As a massive sci-fi fan myself and as an Aeronautical Engineer (specifically space related), I am both educated on some of the things presented in the film and interested in what is presented in the film. Obviously some of the things in the film are indeed science fiction, but nothing in the movie that I saw was impossible (great movies skate the line between fiction and reality, makes it more believeable). From start to finish, you, the viewer, are constantly debating who to trust, the robot or the human. The writers did a good job and allow the viewer to be warmed up to the robot and present the more human side of the robot. I think this is critical in helping develop the story because you need to trust the robot and if the film went straight into the action you wouldn't trust the robot at all. So after a brief introduction I'd say that as a viewer, myself, I was about 50/50. This lays the ground for the rest of the film. So as your human side and logical side battle , the movie continues to provide information that keeps you conflicted. As the movie goes deeper you begin to piece things together and the picture becomes more clear. At this point, where things click, you are beginning to see the moral dilemma (similar to the one provided in the film, now writing this and fully realizing, the film goes from a 9 star to 10). The human race is the dilemma. You have two choices. You can choose to not wipe out humanity and humans will continue to suffer or you can wipe out humanity and build a better human kind so that there is a greater benefit in the long run (think thousands of years, also related to Utilitarianism and lots of other ethical shizz). For example (similar to the film's logic), imagine 8 billion people in current times (somewhat discontent) vs. 8 billion people who are smarter, more ethical, more kind, more rational, etc... That would be a damn good world. This is the dilemma the audience arrives at as the film reaches it's climax. The robot is trying to build a better world at the cost of the old world. Is this ethical (there is no "right" answer)? The fact that they included the robot teaching the girl ethics confirms this idea. I thought it was strange that the robot was teaching this girl (presuming the character is supposed to be a teenager, but the actor is 21) such detailed ethics at a young age. In the film they mentioned Kantian ethics and such. Anyways, the whole idea of the film is sort of like arguing whether or not Thanos is a bad guy. From many ethical perspectives you can say that Thanos is actually in the right and from just as many ethical perspectives you can say the Avengers are the good guys. There honestly is no wrong answer, in my opinion. That's why I think this film was such a great film because it was so much more than a surface-level sci-fi film. All of the people who rated the movie bad didn't understand the underlying point of the film. These people just want a lazy movie that tells them what to think. I love movies that allow you to think for yourself and actually force you to do just that. The movie says (not literally): "create your own ideas", which is important in a society where people are constantly telling you how to think.

Lacks the climactic moments it's built up to have

[fredrikgunerius · 6/10 · 7 August 2023]

This elegantly directed sci-fi wanders about in half-worn territories discussing the interface between next-level artificial intelligence and the ever so immoral human race. There are a few clever ideas and some beautiful imagery, but also agonizingly familiar power struggles and plot developments. The obviously talented director and co-writer Grant Sputore fails to give the film's climactic moments the grandeur which he builds them up to have. Lead actress Clara Rugaard not only has talent and beauty, but also a definite star quality. Both she and Sputore will most likely go on to deliver even better work in the future.

Mysterious and suspenseful

[Gordon-11 · 7 June 2019]

This film tells the story of a woman who grew up in a facility with a robot. Her world is shaken up to the core when another human being arrives.

The set is sleek and futuristic, which makes the film quite stylish. It is a bit slow, but the story generates enough mystery and suspense that keeps you interested. Hilary Swank is great in it. I enjoyed watching it.

It reveals itself too soon

[phoenixinvictus · 4/10 · 10 June 2019]

I am mother is about an AI who is a mass murder with a God complex and who is... well-psychotic. In fact this movie should be called I am a psychopath. What this AI did was genocide on a global scale and then decided to play God to recreate the world in its image. The story itself wasn't as bad as it was too long once we understand what has happened. It was the usual cliché of an AI who uses faulty logic to "wipe out mankind before it can destroy itself". In order to save mankind from extinction it has to cause its extinction? I never did understand that. Mother, the AI using a robot avatar, tries to teach her human daughter virtues, morals and ethics yet butchered the entire human race. Mother has no humanity in it because we discover that Daughter either succeeds or she is incinerated with her failure in a bizarre twisted eugenics program for breeding humans from embryos. These are not the qualities of a true mother or of an intelligent being. I'm rather tired of this overused and abused plot line of an AI going nuts and kill all mankind in a ridiculous logical fallacy. I was looking forward to seeing an AI trying to save mankind and become the "mother" of a new era. Instead I ended up watching the same old boring plot of other stories about the Terminator and the Matrix. This movie tries so hard to be clever that it creates a serious plot hole. For instance, if Woman (brilliantly played by Hillary Swank) was allowed to live because she's part of Mother's plan involving the extinction and repopulation of the planet then why was she tortured to discover the whereabouts of the other humans? We are aware that Mother has wide-ranging surveillance capabilities and absolute control of the facility-not to mention that she has a heavily-armed robot army. There is nothing that Daughter does that doesn't go unnoticed by Mother. It just seems counterproductive for Mother to sow seeds of doubt in Daughter about AI's. In the end, the future human race/family is going to need technology and the droids to survive and repopulate the world. So creating distrust in robots seems tremendously problematical and pointless. I sincerely didn't understand the final scene with Swank's character and Mother. It truly seems set on simply creating danger and ambiguity before the final credits.