I am Mother (Netflix) (2019)

Set in some dystopian wasteland, you've got this robot called Mother raising the last human on Earth inside a high-tech bunker. Everything seems fine between Mother and her Daughter until some uninvited guest shows up at the door and ruins the vibe. Was Mother actually telling the truth about what happened to the world? Is the Daughter really the last one left... or is Mother hiding something much darker?

It’s sitting at a 6.8 on IMDb, but honestly, it deserves way more than that

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6292852/

I actually caught that movie just the other day. If you're truly looking for answers, I'd be more than happy to help you out with your questions 🙂 🍿

Honestly, this is some seriously solid minimalist sci-fi; it’s such a breath of fresh air compared to all that overproduced, big-budget sci-fi garbage they’ve been shoving down our throats for years.

WARNING:
Do yourself a favor and steer clear of the trailer because it basically spoils the entire plot.

This flick hits that same heavy-hitting sweet spot as "Moon" (2009), which is basically a masterpiece across the board.

Even after you've sat there and really chewed on it, I am Mother still leaves you with plenty of headspace to wrap your mind around.
If you actually give a damn about high-tier sci-fi, you need to see this.

JUST A HEADS UP: If you're only into those big-budget, flashy space operas filled with mindless explosions—stuff like Prometheus or Covenant—then look elsewhere, because this definitely isn't your cup of tea.

It’s a fantastic piece, packed with all those subtle, hidden details that really make you stop and think about what they actually imply. Once you finally piece everything together, the whole thing clicks into one terrifyingly cohesive picture.

Finally, something actually feels fresh. I really dug watching this, even if I gotta admit it’s pretty damn dark. Honestly, I have this feeling they might try to spin a sequel out of it because there's clearly enough meat on the bones to work with. If they do go that route, though, man, it would be such a shame if they turned it into some watered-down, mushy mess. The core idea is solid, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

👍

To put it bluntly, humanity basically orchestrated its own downfall, leaving a machine to step up and shoulder the burden of restarting the species.

The logic follows that it cultivates embryos, waiting indefinitely for that one specific embryo destined to become the mother of all mankind.

Once that biological progenitor is finally identified, the machine’s purpose is fulfilled, leading it to effectively remove itself from the equation entirely.

And just like that, the narrative reaches its conclusion.

It was actually a solid film—remarkably well-rounded in its execution.

Why are we even debating this just two weeks after the premiere?
By the way, Mother didn't just drop out of the equation halfway through; you clearly missed the mark because the whole point of the movie is something else entirely.

goldenhound32 said:To put it bluntly, humanity basically orchestrated its own downfall, leaving a machine to step up and shoulder the burden of restarting the species.

The logic follows that it cultivates embryos, waiting indefinitely for that one specific embryo destined to become the mother of all mankind.

Once that biological progenitor is finally identified, the machine’s purpose is fulfilled, leading it to effectively remove itself from the equation entirely.

And just like that, the narrative reaches its conclusion.

It was actually a solid film—remarkably well-rounded in its execution.

Sorry, but I can't find this anywhere on Netflix. I'm positive I typed the title in correctly. 🤷

Jesse Thomas7 said:Sorry, but I can't find this anywhere on Netflix. I'm positive I typed the title in correctly. 🤷

It’s on the Theater site with subtitles. Just a heads up: don't bother reading the comments before you watch it. Most of them are pretty mindless anyway.

goldenhound32 said:To put it bluntly, humanity basically orchestrated its own downfall, leaving a machine to step up and shoulder the burden of restarting the species.

The logic follows that it cultivates embryos, waiting indefinitely for that one specific embryo destined to become the mother of all mankind.

Once that biological progenitor is finally identified, the machine’s purpose is fulfilled, leading it to effectively remove itself from the equation entirely.

And just like that, the narrative reaches its conclusion.

It was actually a solid film—remarkably well-rounded in its execution.

Hmm... sure, if you want to strip it down, but the movie is way more complex than that because it dives into those eternal ethical dilemmas—like throwing a Trolley problem into... well, how do I talk about this without giving away a massive spoiler...
But I agree, it’s a solid, well-wrapped film. A sequel would basically just be carrot-and-stick bait for a cash grab. Real masters might actually pull off a decent variation on the theme—kind of like how Cameron delivered Terminator 2—but I fear there are very few people left in this hyper-commercialized industry with enough backbone to be truly independent. Then again, it clearly wasn't designed to be some record-breaking blockbuster, so if there ever was a sequel, we wouldn't have to deal with studio executives breathing down an auteur's neck quite as much.
As far as I'm concerned, though, let it stay exactly as it is.

There’s honestly zero reason to bother with a sequel; "I am Mother" works perfectly well as its own thing, standing alone as this incredibly tight, well-defined piece of cinema.
The way everything works nowadays—this constant, mindless vacuum of creativity where studios just milk tired franchises until they bleed—only ends up churning out piles of high-budget, unwatchable garbage.
Just like how "Moon" didn't need a follow-up, "I am Mother" should be allowed to remain what it is: a solid, self-contained sci-fi flick with a plot that’s sharp, concise, and actually sticks with you.

Kevin Evans41 said:Why are we even debating this just two weeks after the premiere?
By the way, Mother didn't just drop out of the equation halfway through; you clearly missed the mark because the whole point of the movie is something else entirely.

Well, I flagged it as a spoiler. As such, my post is intended solely for those who have already seen the movie.

Look, I'm pretty sure most people just skim the body of a post and completely miss the subject line, so putting a
spoiler
warning right in the meat of the text is way more effective.
Quote:. As far as I'm concerned, my post is strictly for the folks who've already seen the movie.

goldenhound32 says: Well, I tagged it as a spoiler

Kevin Evans41 said:Look, I'm pretty sure most people just skim the body of a post and completely miss the subject line, so putting a
spoiler
warning right in the meat of the text is way more effective.
Quote:. As far as I'm concerned, my post is strictly for the folks who've already seen the movie.

goldenhound32 says: Well, I tagged it as a spoiler

I find it hard to believe anyone could actually overlook the title of the post I wrote.

I suppose I'm just too brilliant for my own good. 😁

Here’s a little something for you: the physical build for the "Mother" android isn't just some digital trickery or CGI bullshit; the whole thing is actually a practical suit rigged onto the actress, featuring a ton of 3D-printed components that were hand-finished and painted to perfection, which is why it looks way more convincing than any cheap computer graphics ever could.
The actor and the animators really went through hell to make sure those movements felt authentically robotic and unsettling.

Honestly, this was a really solid film. It’s incredibly well-rounded with a clear beginning, middle, and end, which—I have to admit—wasn't what I was expecting.

I loved how they showcased the world outside; there are some truly stunning shots in there.

I was actually shocked to read that the robot wasn't made with CGI! The practical effects work is so seamless that its movements feel much more organic and lifelike. 👍

As for that undeservedly low score on IMDb, I stopped looking at that site as a reliable metric for quality a long time ago.

This movie is the polar opposite of today's hollow Marvel's popcorn flicks, and that explains why the general mass audience rated it the way they did.

8/10

"Mother" has these two little bright spots on her "face" that shift positions symmetrically... has anyone else noticed any kind of causality there, like actual human facial expressions? I find it hard to believe they did that by accident, though I haven't been able to connect it to anything happening in the plot yet. Maybe I need to give it another watch.

David Barrett7 said:Honestly, this was a really solid film. It’s incredibly well-rounded with a clear beginning, middle, and end, which—I have to admit—wasn't what I was expecting.

I loved how they showcased the world outside; there are some truly stunning shots in there.

I was actually shocked to read that the robot wasn't made with CGI! The practical effects work is so seamless that its movements feel much more organic and lifelike. 👍

As for that undeservedly low score on IMDb, I stopped looking at that site as a reliable metric for quality a long time ago.

This movie is the polar opposite of today's hollow Marvel's popcorn flicks, and that explains why the general mass audience rated it the way they did.

8/10

Mother knows best after all 😁

I’d say this sci-fi flick sits in pretty much the same category as Hereditary for me.

The pacing is slow, the story builds up, and you really feel the tension growing... everything seems fine and actually quite engaging, but then, instead of hitting a solid, logical climax, the whole thing just falls apart with some stupid, pathetic ending.😵