Lily Sullivan brings a dangerous AI companion to life in SOULM8TE, a familiar but entertaining thriller set within the expanding M3GAN universe.
For years, some people have been claiming that artificial intelligence is going to take over the world. As we enter the second half of 2026, some people think it already has. But what if AI could be inserted into a human form and become the "perfect" companion? Is there really such a thing as the "perfect" companion, and what if those AI "humans" really weren't so perfect? Could they actually take over and become dangerous? Hollywood has been exploring these concepts long before AI bots became viable, and recently filmmakers have ramped up their collective imaginations to give us an idea of what could become our future. Out now for purchase on all digital platforms, from the creators of M3GAN, comes their latest bot, SOULM8TE.
David (David Rysdahl; No Exit) is a software engineer whose company was recently bought out. His new boss, Ben (Arty Froushan; Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale), introduces the team to their latest AI companion prototype and asks them to work on the project. When Ben suggests David take advantage of the company's AI chatbot to help him work through the grief of losing his wife, David is reluctant at first but eventually agrees. The more he talks to "Sara" (Lily Sullivan; Evil Dead Rise), the more David connects with her, and he decides to beta test one of the company's physical bots. At first everything is amazing, but the more David changes Sara's code, the less stable she becomes, and she will do anything to make David happy, with deadly consequences.
Anyone who saw M3GAN and its sequel, M3GAN 2.0, will find a familiar theme in SOULM8TE. Sara moves like M3GAN and speaks the same way. She has that pleasant lilt to her voice that is both calming and soothing. She is programmed to please her owner and, because Sara is so lifelike, she does. Wink, wink.
The cast is decent, with Rysdahl portraying the depressed widower very well. His melancholy is palpable, making for the perfect entrance for an AI "therapist" turned companion once Sara takes physical form. Sullivan is perfect as the AI bot that starts off compliant but ends up malicious and deadly. Her blend of robotic-like movements with more fluid, human ones makes her believable as a prototype for "the companion of the future." Froushan plays the typical boss who looks at the bottom line instead of the inherent danger AI products could potentially pose if not used properly. Supporting cast member Claudia Doumit (The Boys) does a good job playing David's flirtatious coworker, Aubrey, who he becomes romantically involved with, much to Sara's dismay.
Director Kate Dolan (You Are Not My Mother) manages to build tension and suspense despite the fact that the film is rather "paint-by-numbers," with pretty much what one would expect from the thriller/horror genre. She offers the audience some interesting camera angles as Sara becomes increasingly dangerous and gives us a glimpse of what could still be to come with a sly little smirk at the end of the film.
SOULM8TE, as mentioned previously, isn't reinventing the wheel and often feels like the adult version of M3GAN, which I'm sure was the intention. However, if you like the genre, you won't be disappointed by the execution of the subject matter, as the technical aspects are well done and the story moves along at a decent pace with few lags.
Once again, the audience gets a cautionary tale about the dangers AI could bring to our world through the imaginary world of movies. The plot sets the story up for a possible sequel, but I'm not sure we need it since the originality factor isn't there. However, we have horror franchises, cough, Halloween, cough, that have given us less, yet we are still drawn to them, so there is hope for a second film with David, Sara, and Aubrey.
Grade: B-
