DRAGN (2025)


REVIEWER RATING: 
7/10

DIRECTOR:

CAST:


The creation of AI was a gradual process combining centuries of human imagination, formal logic, and computational theory. From Turing’s theoretical machines to the Dartmouth conference and early expert systems, AI evolved from a conceptual idea into a structured scientific field, eventually leading to the sophisticated machine learning and generative AI technologies we see today.

With the advancement of artificial intelligence impacting employment across numerous industries worldwide, many workers are concerned about maintaining their indispensability in the workforce. However, concerns have been raised regarding the potential for AI systems to displace human employees and possess capabilities that could result in severe harm. Is having a job truly worth risking a potentially disastrous outcome?  

DRAGN (Defense Reaction and Ground Neutralization) is a smart robot/drone with a program glitch. A big one. In Terminator terms, it likes to kill and will not stop. Upon launching this high-tech device into the remote wild woods of Serbia, a company’s team of soldiers are immediately massacred after intentionally treating this automation as another unintelligent piece of disposable equipment. And as if they had bullied an oddball kid during recess, that just pisses it off.  

Young family man, Tom Wilson is ready for advancement in his organization, Mantiz. Signing up to join a small group of global colleagues to hike into this same forest for team building activities at The Zone, it’s no surprise that this crew has been deceived from the moment they walk through the electric field fence. Jacob, Daniel, Tom, Adele, and Sebastian are about to face the frightening threat of a pre-programmed UAV gone wild.  

Resembling a giant dragonfly armed with ammo, a flamethrower and other crude weaponry, this contraption tracks, maneuvers and attacks anyone nearby, showing disregard for human AND animal life. Obviously void of compassion, it fires at will on anything and everything. It is, after all, a flying instrument. There are no emotions in engineered entities. Right?

The campers' fun quickly ends, replaced by chaos after their first night in the wilderness when Sebastian disappears and they band together in search of him, but stumble upon the mutilated bodies from the opening militia scene. The horrific circumstances surrounding the conditions of these mangled men is alarming, to say the least. Once face-to-face with the metal monster which caused this massacre, no one is safe. Or able to escape.

The gore is gruesome, the action is packed but the scariest part of this sci-fi horror film is none other than the unlimited capabilities of artificial intelligence.

Just when you think machines cannot possibly replace mankind, guess again. The learned evil behavior and menacing manipulation to even lure loved ones into their clutches to satisfy their bloodlust will send shivers down your spine. Whoever controls the machines, controls the future. But what if there is NO controlling the machines?

OVERALL: 
The ensemble delivers, the hysteria is convincing and the characters are all expendable. However the star of this frenzy flick is awarded to the DRAGN, whose creepy voice and malicious coercion knows no bounds. Despite the fragmented ending as to who is really in control and what exactly was the intent in DRAGN, the moral of the story remains: beware of AI. And robots. And machines. And well…all technology in general. It’ll kill ya!


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