WFG RATING: B

A Kinogo Pictures production in association with Liberty Atlantic Studios. Directed by George Henry Horton. Written and produced by Goerge Henry Horton and Ryan Scaringe. Cinematography by Olesia Savaleva. Edited by Shaun Lavery and Marc Sadaka.

Stars Tim DeZarn, Adam Budron, Olivia Scott, George Henry Horton, Emily Rafala, and the voice of Danielle Harris.

Two robbers find themselves against an unformidable enemy in an A.I. in this sci-fi thriller from George Henry Horton. 

James and Blake made a failed attempt at a robbery and are on the run. As the two try to find refuge, they come across what looks like an old warehouse. Upon entering it, they find some strange technology inside. The warehouse used to be a facility for scientific research. When Blake comes across a strange device, he grabs it in hopes for a payday. He soon realizes he’s about to make a big mistake. 

As James and Blake are being watched, they soon awaken an AI in the form of a red mask on a wall. The AI is Dorothy, who demands the device be returned before she will unleash unholy hell. When they deny even having the device, she brings the machinery in the warehouse to life to go after the duo. They soon realize they are trapped and they must find a way to stop Dorothy before it’s too late. 

Artificial intelligence has been seen as both an advantage and a negative notion in today’s society. While cinema has viewed AI as protagonists in films such as I, Robot, and the later Terminator films, a majority sees the cinematic world using AI as an antagonist. It is such the case with this film co-written and directed by George Henry Horton. However, what’s interesting is that the two lead characters are not exactly good guys themselves. 

Tim DeZarn and Adam Budron drive the film as James and Blake, two men whose attempt at a robbery puts them on the run. They are seen as hired guns and in the melee, James, the elder of the two, is shot in the leg. As for Blake, he’s younger and somewhat of a hothead. As the two are hired to find a device in an abandoned warehouse for their client and upon entering the warehouse, they search for the device. This takes up the first half of its eighty-minute run time. 

The second half is where things really get good with the appearance of the titular Dorothy. We learn Dorothy was an AI with superior intelligence who was responsible for the demise of her creators and the scientists inside the warehouse. When Dorothy makes her presence known, she comes with the voice of the iconic Danielle Harris. Dorothy comes off like a horror movie character mixed with some sassiness reminiscent of some of her past roles as a teenager in comedy films and television. In other words, she is the perfect voice actor to make the film work in her sci-fi film debut. 

Project Dorothy starts out a but slow but a good buildup in the first half, but once Danielle Harris’ titular AI comes into the picture, things really pick up and the performances of both Tim DeZarn and Adam Budron really help and are the heart of the film, even as characters who are not exactly good guys.

The film will debut on Digital on January 16.