One year after Maid Droid, writer-director Rich Mallery returns to that world with Maid Droid Origins. A quick check with IMDb makes it appear that no character from the first film appears here, but I having not seen it, I am not sure if that’s 100% accurate. So, does the sequel make sense without prior knowledge? If these are all new characters, why set the film in the same universe?
Eve (Katie Kay) is an android built to pleasure her clients, commonly referred to as a “Maid Droid” (it is possible that is what the company that sells them markets them as; it is unclear). While having sex with a man, she’s compelled to choke him to death. Eve does not understand what overtook her or how she’s capable of killing anybody. Unsure of where to go or what to do, the android heads to the house of the creator of Maid Droids, Timothy (Bryan Brewer). Considering Timothy’s unlisted and not on any social media, he’s surprised by the visitor. Eve pleads her case and wishes to understand why she committed such a heinous crime.
Perhaps it is because Timothy and his workaholic wife, Belle (Cassie Ghersi), are on the outs at the moment. Maybe it is because he still feels close to Eve, as she was his first model. No matter the reason, Timothy agrees to run diagnostics and help get to the bottom of Eve’s violent tendencies. However, she must stay in the garage for fear of Belle’s jealous rage taking over.
“…Timothy agrees to run diagnostics and help get to the bottom of Eve’s violent tendencies.”
Maid Droid Origins sports a few of the hallmarks of a real indie production. The cast is composed of maybe a dozen people, possibly less. There are only two central locations, Timothy’s house and the black void of Eve’s dreams, where she consults with “mother,” Diana (Fawn Winters). The lighting is very basic and neutral. Yet somehow, the film is very intriguing and remains intense for the entire 96-minute runtime.
Part of the reason for this is the cast. Kay is sexy and engaging as the android who doesn’t understand what’s happening to her. Brewer is fantastic as the bewildered genius who is still hapless in love. Ghersi is fun to hate as the high-maintenance wife with a secret. The three of them share a strong chemistry and help create a tension-filled atmosphere that exhilarates as the story hurdles toward the end.
The other big part of the film’s success is the screenplay. While a few parts are easy to figure out, there’s a lot to pique everyone’s interest throughout. For starters, it is easy to see what Timothy and Belle see in each other, even considering the rocky state of their marriage. But Eve is enticing as well, and TImothy being conflicted over who to choose is realistic. Beyond the relationships, the mystery as to what causes Eve to kill is compelling. Diana’s musings and answers in the android’s dreams are philosophically enigmatic and add to the allure and mystery nicely.
All in all, Maid Droid Origins is a fun, sexy thriller that works even if audiences haven’t seen the first one. The three core cast members are terrific and play off of each other well. The mystery is gripping, and the thrills do not stop. Mallery is quickly becoming an independent filmmaker to watch, and this proves why that is the case.
"…a fun, sexy thriller that works even if audiences haven’t seen the first one."
