On a lonely mission to Alpha Centauri, Milutin is teamed up with a female cyborg (Nimani 1345). Longing for human intimacy, Sebastian alters Nimani’s programmed responses, but in doing so he risks the mission’s security–and his own life. I went into watching this film knowing only that. The gorgeous effects began to reel me in as the early scenes played out. If there’s a plus to this direct-to-DVD release, it has got to be the look of it all. Color me impressed. My apprehension starts to fade.

AI Rising may draw comparisons with Alex Garland’s film Ex-Machina. Both films present something resembling a character study and his descent into madness. Each film has a male confounded by a female robot who masquerades as an attractive inquisitive member of the opposite sex. More on that later.

AI Rising’s lead male star Milutini is played by Sebastian Cavazza. His unique ability to mentally cope with the loneliness of space travel alone makes him an ideal candidate as a space pilot. His latest job is to deliver a new ideology to a colony. The corporation’s name is Ederlesi. They have mandated one female robot named Nimani, played by adult film star Stoya to accompany him on the mission.

Milutni quickly gets underway with the mission. The film wastes no time in getting to the android sex. The plot includes a lot of it. So much so that Milutini has jiggered with his schedule so it includes sex with Milutin. After about a year in space with Milutini, the sexual wish-granting genie things have gotten complicated. Their relationship now threatens to endanger the mission. More so due to the compulsive nature of Milutini than Nimani’s attraction to him. Since she’s an android, Mulitini is clearly the one here who’s miffed by the opposite gender.

The actors do a decent job with the material. The interactions between Milutin and Nimani come across as believable, but there is still a lot to be desired. The film wouldn’t really be on my re-watch list. Similarly, to Garland’s Ex-Machina’s confining of setting to a central location. Whereas in Garland’s case it was Nathan Bateman’s estate. Here in AI Rising the film largely takes place on the spaceship. Said spaceships design is well thought out, but still lacks the everyday worn Ikea of space Weiland Corp evokes in Ridley Scott’s Alien.

Grade: C

+ Strong visuals
+ Intriguing setup
+ Acting by Stoya and Sebastian Cavazza
+ Adult science fiction
– No strong villain
– Repetitive narrative

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