Starring Rachel Shelley, Heida Reed, Wayne Brady

Directed by Natalie Kennedy

On digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video & Apple TV

An author with writer’s block signs up to a remote creative retreat entirely managed by Artificial Intelligence. What could possibly go wrong?

In 2023, film and TV production ground to a halt for four months across much of the English-speaking world as members of the Writers Guild of America fought not just for a fairer share of streaming residuals, but crucially, for protection against the threat of AI generated content. The timing of Stephen Herman and Natalie Kennedy’s low budget AI thriller couldn’t be better.

Successful author Claire Rivers (Rachel Shelley) is being hounded by her agent for her latest manuscript, so the promise of a luxury retreat with no distractions seems like a no-brainer to help her overcome her crippling writer’s block. The building is miles from anywhere, and Claire is warmly welcomed by Henry, an ‘intelligent’ and charming holographic host (Wayne Brady). More menial tasks are serviced by a physical android called Rita (Heida Reed), who, despite skin as perfect as a Vermeer, lacks Henry’s intellectual nuance, but there’s also a Black Mirror style glowing gizmo for Claire to stick onto her temple to stimulate her creative cortex, if she’s still struggling.

However, despite all the assistance, after a few days, Claire is no further forward with her novel, and she’s on the verge of giving up, when the retreat’s digital systems are attacked by malware. The amiable Henry is disabled, leaving Claire at the mercy of the more literalistic Rita, who for reasons painfully familiar to any professional writer who’s ever had an anxiety dream, refuses to allow the hapless author to leave the hermetically sealed creative unit.

What follows is a delicious AI homage to Stephen King’s Misery. It’s both funny and pertinent, and the twist when it comes is an immensely satisfying one. The ensemble cast give it their all, although a particular nod should go to Heida Reed. Androids are rarely very convincing on screen – actors tend to overdo the whole robot schtick – but Reed’s relentlessly innocent malevolence is pitch perfect.

In a recent review, I conjectured that there isn’t much more for science fiction to say about Artificial Intelligence and attempts at profundity are often prone to misfire. Blank avoids this trap, as the film isn’t really about AI at all – we all know computers are stupid – rather it uses the genre to explore the nature of creativity itself, and tells a neat little story along the way.

Verdict: Blank is intelligent, a lot of fun, and, for those scribes who have the creative scars and neuroses that come with the professional territory, occasionally a little chilling as well.  8/10

Martin Jameson

www.ninjamarmoset.com