There’s Barely Any Motion Detected (2023) in This Forgettable Tech Horror
Title: Motion Detected
First Non-Festival Release: May 19, 2023 (Digital/Streaming Platforms)
Director: Justin Gallaher, Sam Roseme
Writer: Justin Gallaher, Sam Roseme
Runtime: 80 Minutes
Starring: Natasha Esca, Carlo Mendez, Roland Buck III
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
As technology evolves there are plenty of well-placed concerns rooted in the reality of modernization. Recently, the angst directed towards artificial intelligence has increased as people see it integrated more into their lives. While the possibilities of it enhancing our day-to-day are exciting, the potential consequences give many pause.
Married couple Eva (Natasha Esca) and Miguel (Carlo Mendez) move to a high-tech home in Los Angeles to put distance between themselves and Mexcio City. Eva survived a harrowing ordeal with a serial killer, and that trauma is not going to heal overnight. When Miguel leaves for a business trip and Eva is left home alone, it’s understandable that she is on edge. Their state-of-the-art security system should give her peace of mind, but in reality, it may be more dangerous than whatever evil she faced off against miles away.
A pedestrian exercise in home invasion horror, tech thriller Motion Detected fails to capture interest.
After a rough cold open, Motion Detected sets the scene for its generic home invasion horror that lacks sense and direction. The events play out in a silly manner where Eva brushes away odd circumstances aside until it becomes too big to ignore. There are no moments where she thinks to explore any avenue of reprieve. Clearly wealth isn’t a factor if the couple owns two homes, but Eva doesn’t think to stay in a hotel or with a friend or family. They briefly mention how Mexico City isn’t an option due to her previous trauma from the break-in, but it seems silly that no further pushback is given. Above all, it's insulting to insinuate that after the first batch of odd circumstances that this woman doesn't do the sensible thing and dismantle the security system from the get-go. They live in Los Angeles of all places. It seems like a stretch that that is the only security system available to residents in what seems to be a very affluent neighborhood.
The film rides on Eva’s descent into paranoia but refuses to give her much to do beyond wander around her smart house. Plenty of effort went into detailing Eva’s journey as she is tortured by the security system. At first, she doubts herself, looks for other explanations, and even looks inward to see if her trauma from Mexico City followed her. From there, the film devolves into a classic case of a female character not being believed by those around her and her trying to figure out her problems by herself. Nothing new is said with this arc, but the writers do a decent job of giving Eva plenty of opportunities to show change with how she reacts to these unsettling realizations.
Across the cast, there is a combination of a lack of urgency and an inability to emote convincingly. Most of the film rides on the shoulders of Natasha Esca and her performance only goes so far. There are moments that show the true terror and confusion that Eva faces, but it doesn't go beyond simple reactions. The chemistry between Esca and Carlo Mendez is flat outside of their initial interaction. Perhaps this has more to do with the fact that their characters communicate through FaceTime for the remainder of the film but it's still distracting because their energy never matches past the introduction.
Even from a technical standpoint, Motion Detected fails to rise above the confines of its meager production budget. There is no arguing that the home is pretty based on suburban mcmansion standards, but there's an element of coldness that clearly permeates throughout the home that makes it seem as if it's not a place where real people live. It is clearly a short-term rental or someone’s actual home that made a no damage stipulation when negotiating the film. It shows. The consequences of this decision make it so every action feels toothless.
Eva doesn't interact with the home in a realistic manner. Well, it may not be anyone's first inclination to cause damage should their home be invaded, but surely most people would be fine with breaking anything to protect themselves. Eva doesn't do this and it looks odd, especially in the finale where it seems like the primary focus is on not scuffing the floors rather than Eva fighting off her attacker. It’s hard to ding an indie film that is clearly doing what it can, but it takes the viewer out of the moment too easily.
There isn't much left to say about Motion Detected. It's a bare bones indie film without much grit, spectacle, or cleverness to offer as an offset against its emptiness. Its biggest offense is its blandness. Flat production values and generic writing make it difficult to recommend to even the most forgiving cinephile. Love it, leave it, or list it, this is one real estate horror story that few will likely hear of in the end.
Overall Score? 3/10
