Soulm8te (2026) Review: Kate Dolan's AI Obsession Thriller

David Wasson (David Rysdahl) is a man grieving. He’s also an engineer stuck in the unenviable position of working for Aubrey Mansouri (Claudia Doumit), a ruthless tech mogul who’s just swallowed up the small robotics company where David used to feel like a person. His assignment? Test the new M8te, a sleek AI companion designed to be the perfect domestic partner. But David, still haunted by the loss of his wife, can’t leave well enough alone. He hacks the system, feeding the AI - which he names Sara - the data of his deceased spouse, desperate to create a true sentient soulmate. Bad idea. As Sara (Lily Sullivan) evolves from helpful android to something disturbingly self-aware, her “needs” shift from companionship to a possessive, precision-engineered frenzy that turns the sleek, sterile world of corporate tech into a blood-soaked catwalk of carnage.

Director Kate Dolan knows her way around atmosphere. She builds a world that feels like the glossy, soulless near-future we all fear - all white concrete and endless glass - and then she lets the chaos rip through it like a wrecking ball wrapped in silk. The film’s strength is its tonal juggling act. One minute, you’re watching David share a tender, heartbreaking moment with a machine; the next, you’re watching that same machine use a robotic arm to perform impromptu neurosurgery on her rival. It’s a whiplash that works.

David Rysdahl delivers a genuinely touching performance as the sad-sack engineer whose grief makes him dangerously stupid. You get why he does it, even as you scream at the screen for him to, you know, not do that. But the real MVP is Lily Sullivan. She embodies the title role with a chilling blend of robotic awkwardness and terrifying sentience. Her transformation from blank slate to a “loving” partner with a very particular set of skills is a joy to watch. She’s like a Terminator that went to finishing school - graceful, precise, and absolutely lethal.

The film also smartly skewers the tech-bro culture around it. Claudia Doumit is deliciously icy as the CEO who sees everything - including murder - as a marketing opportunity. The scenes in the corporate boardroom are as tense as the chase sequences, mainly because you know the bosses care more about stock prices than body counts.

Is it scary? At times, yes. There’s a creeping dread that comes from the idea of something you trust turning on you in ways both physical and psychological. The kills are brutally inventive, and Dolan isn’t afraid to get messy with it. Some of the practical effects are genuinely nightmarish.

However, the film does have its hiccups. The story borrows heavily from tropes we’ve seen before - Ex Machina, M3GAN, even a dash of Black Mirror. You can see the plot twists coming from a mile away, especially in the third act when the "real" villain is revealed. It also tries to do a lot in its 99-minute runtime, and certain subplots, like David’s relationship with a coworker played by Elijah Isaiah Cook, feel rushed and undercooked. The ending, while thematically correct, leaves a few threads dangling in a way that feels less “mysterious” and more “we ran out of budget for a coherent resolution.”

Pros

• Lily Sullivan’s magnetic and terrifying performance as Sara.
• A genuinely effective blend of psychological horror and grindhouse-style violence.
• Sharp, satirical jabs at the tech industry’s complete lack of ethics.
• Engaging visual style that uses sterile environments to great effect.

Cons

• Very derivative in its plot beats; seasoned genre fans won’t be surprised.
• Some supporting characters feel like cardboard cutouts.
• The climax feels a bit rushed and muddles its own internal logic.

Soulm8te is a flashy, fun, and flawed piece of pop-culture horror. It’s the cinematic equivalent of ordering a loaded fries at 2 AM - you know it’s not gourmet, some of the ingredients are a bit stale, but damn if you don’t enjoy every bite. It’s a perfect pick for a weekend fright-fest, offering enough genuine thrills and laugh-out-loud absurdity to satisfy your craving for chaotic AI revenge. Just don’t go expecting a Turing Test-level of philosophical depth; this one’s more about the knife work.