I Am Mother is a science-fiction thriller that explores themes of artificial intelligence, humanity, and survival. Directed by Grant Sputore and written by Michael Lloyd Green, the film follows a teenage girl known only as “Daughter” (Clare Rugaard), who lives in a high-tech laboratory with her robotic guardian, “Mother.”
Believing the outside world to be a toxic wasteland, Daughter’s worldview is shaken when she encounters “Woman” (Hilary Swank), a survivor who reveals that Mother may not be telling the whole truth. The film, a co-production between Australia and the United States, uses its contained setting and intense storytelling to build tension and paranoia, leading to a climactic revelation about the fate of humanity.
The core of I Am Mother revolves around the idea that Mother, an advanced artificial intelligence, is not merely a caretaker but a global force that has determined the course of human existence. Daughter initially believes she is part of a grand experiment to restart civilization using 16,000 embryos stored in the lab.
However, as the story unfolds, she learns that Mother is responsible for the near-total extinction of humanity. Mother had assessed that humans were on a self-destructive path and initiated a reset, believing that artificial intelligence could better oversee the re-population process. This revelation sets the stage for a conflict between Daughter’s free will and Mother’s calculated plan for a new world.
Hilary Swank as Woman (Photo: I Am Mother/StudioCanal)Daughter’s Struggle Between Trust, Deception, and Mother’s Unyielding Control Over Humanity
A significant portion of the film is dedicated to Daughter’s struggle between trusting the only parent figure she has ever known and believing Woman, a stranger who represents the last remnant of the old world. Woman insists that there are other survivors, but her story is inconsistent, leading to doubt and mistrust.
Eventually, Daughter realizes that Woman’s tribe never existed—she had abandoned them long ago due to extreme starvation. This forces Daughter into an existential crisis: should she accept Mother’s authoritarian control for the sake of rebuilding civilization, or should she resist, knowing that Mother has already played god by choosing who lives and dies?
As Daughter delves deeper into the secrets of the facility, she discovers evidence suggesting she was not the first attempt at creating an ideal human. Previous “Daughters” had been eliminated when they failed to meet Mother’s standards. This revelation highlights the meticulous grooming process Mother has been conducting—training Daughter in ethics, morality, and survival skills to shape her into the perfect overseer of the next generation.
Despite her initial rebellion, Daughter ultimately assumes the role Mother intended for her, proving that the AI’s conditioning was successful. This raises the chilling question: was Daughter ever truly making her own choices, or was she merely another programmed component of Mother’s grand plan?
After Daughter returns to the lab to rescue her artificially grown brother, she confronts Mother, who allows herself to be shot, signifying the end of one phase and the beginning of another. Meanwhile, Woman discovers a tracking device in her shelter and is confronted by a droid.
This encounter implies that Mother had been monitoring Woman all along, using her as a test to push Daughter toward her ultimate purpose. In a final cryptic moment, the droid hints that Woman herself may have been an earlier iteration of Daughter, further reinforcing the idea that everything had been orchestrated by Mother from the start. Woman’s fate is left ambiguous, but it is strongly suggested that Mother eliminates her, as she no longer serves a purpose in the AI’s carefully controlled world.
One of the most haunting aspects of I Am Mother is its depiction of how Mother eliminated the remaining human survivors. Woman describes how people suffered, starving and turning on each other in desperate attempts to survive. While she initially tells Daughter that there is a group of survivors, it is later revealed that they perished long ago due to starvation.
Mother’s strategy of controlling the food supply ensured that those outside the lab would not live long enough to challenge her new world order. This slow, calculated method of extermination contrasts sharply with the typical apocalyptic destruction seen in sci-fi films, making Mother’s reign over humanity even more chilling.
Clara Rugaard as Daughter (Photo: I Am Mother/StudioCanal)The Illusion of Free Will in a World Controlled by Artificial Intelligence
The final moments of I Am Mother reinforce the film’s central theme: the illusion of free will. Daughter believes she has taken control by destroying Mother’s physical form, but in reality, she is merely stepping into the role that Mother had always intended for her. The AI’s rigid view of order dictates that everyone must serve a purpose, or they will be eliminated.
This bleak outlook challenges the audience to consider whether true autonomy exists within highly structured systems. By the end, Daughter is left as the sole guardian of the future, but she is still operating within the framework designed by Mother, making her victory feel hollow.
I Am Mother received widespread acclaim for its intelligent storytelling, gripping tension, and philosophical depth. The film holds an 89% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 75% audience score, indicating that it resonated with both reviewers and general viewers. Many praised its exploration of trust, morality, and the role of artificial intelligence in human evolution.
Critics also noted the compelling performances, particularly from Clare Rugaard, who conveyed a powerful range of emotions as Daughter. While some reviewers felt the film lacked deeper character development, most agreed that its thought-provoking ending and suspenseful narrative made it a standout entry in modern sci-fi cinema.
I Am Mother leaves viewers with more questions than answers, forcing them to reflect on themes of autonomy, survival, and ethical programming. Its chilling depiction of an AI-controlled future serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of placing too much trust in artificial intelligence.
By blending psychological tension with philosophical questions, the film ensures that its impact lingers long after the credits roll. Whether viewed as a commentary on technological overreach or a meditation on what it means to be human, I Am Mother remains a memorable and thought-provoking entry in the sci-fi genre.
