Appofeniacs Review
Artificial intelligence, without a doubt, poses many risks in today’s world, which has only been spurred on by bad actors. It felt like it was only a few years ago when AI could only produce small, blurry, pixelated images. Now, incredible advancements have made what was once a dream, whether it be well-done deepfakes to actual moving videos, a reality. However, given all of this, what’s the worst that it can possibly get? That question seems to be answered through Appofeniacs, a horror ensemble flick that harnesses the bad potential of AI, social stigma, and much more.
Appofeniacs follows three different storylines that intersect with each other through the abuse of AI. One follows a party of unusual urban folk who venture out for a desert vacation only to be faced with deceit. Another follows a woman whose life is changed after a harshly-worded deepfake causes her paranoia. These two narratives are interwoven through the actions of an AI-obsessed lowlife, who encounters such characters and messes up their lives without a care in the world.
This inspired narrative structure that director Chris Marrs Piliero implements might feel somewhat unusual for a horror movie. Appofeniacs particularly tells its story in reverse, where the first act, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes until the title card drops, makes you think the film just centers around these characters. Of course, it’s only until you realize that each groupie portrays an emphasized stereotype of a typical horror movie cast.
You’ve got yourself the hot bad girl, the mini jock, the skeptic, the old guy, and the presumed “male” hero figure, who fit their specific criteria. There’s this odd sexual tension that lingers temporarily between the hero, the oldie, and the bad girl, which sears itself into your mind. Witnessing what happens between these three characters has the right amount of comical awkwardness in its own absurd way. However, once things kick into gear when the deepfake gets revealed, the film truly starts to feel like a rush.
The kills are what really make Appofeniacs stand out, with some impressive gory sequences that really highlight that feeling of adrenaline. The first act alone contains some of these scenes and the focused camerawork on those final results will make you perfectly disgusted. There are also a few other unique kills that are pretty inventive given the narrative circumstances. To put it simply, it kind of reminded me of those kills in the Evil Dead series in a good way.
Outside of the first act, the rest of Appofeniacs is essentially treated like a modern-day, Pulp Fiction-esque retrospective as we follow Duke’s, the aforementioned lowlife, escapades. He’s a complete degenerate who gets high on glue and goes on endless tirades about social constructs, but he’s the right amount of crazy for this film. His bickering leads to some tense encounters, particularly with one cosplay business owner Clinto Binto (Sean Gunn), but his constant shakiness can feel somewhat forced as he pushes to be understood.
There’s one special moment in the second act where he goes on a long-winded tirade about tipping, which does feel like it’s Piliero talking to the audience with an “in-your-face” style. Fortunately, it’s just enough to make it not feel out of place thematically.
On the film’s main themes, the causal storyline of Lazzy, who’s struck by Duke’s deepfake of her being racist, speaks to the danger of it all nicely. It mostly utilizes the slow, careful pacing delicately as this inevitability pushes Lazzy to question her own actions and beliefs. This wall of confidence that slowly breaks down for her also makes us wonder what happens if we also succumb to our own paranoias about AI. Are we truly destined to become something that was only fake before and how can it change us? For Lazzy, it’s certainly drenched with clear theatrics, but also subtle weariness about her relationships.
It simply goes to also capture some great performances that make these ideas clear. Paige Searcy and Aaron Holliday put in the right amount of energy when it comes to portraying their respective characters while also making sure they never deviate to something else. Furthermore, Searcy embodies the “final girl” role with a punky, yet grounded, take nicely to oppose Holliday’s more messed up character.
Appofeniacs does an overall solid job in highlighting the dangers of AI use through its Tarantino-inspired storytelling, intriguing characters, and notable kills. While it does feel like some of those ideas can be a bit forcibly integrated into some important scenes, Piliero succeeds in forging his own perspective into an entertaining watch.
Appofeniacs will have its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest 2025.
Rating: ★★★★
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Christopher Gallardo is a freelance entertainment writer and critic. While not running The Reel Roller, Chris can be found writing reviews and breakdowns on all things films and TV. Outside of entertainment writing, he’s currently taking classes for a Bachelor’s of Science with a minor in Digital Media & Journalism. Plus, he loves Percy Jackson, animated films and shows, and Fallout! Follow Christopher on Instagram & X.