Tags:
Film: Autonomous
Year: 2026
Director: Kyle Valle
Starring: Erin Áine, Domenic Jungling and Thomas Mulnix
Review:
This was something that I learned about thanks to Kyle Valle and Erin Áine. They reached out via Instagram, knowing that I had covered their film ZombieCon Vol. 1. The press release that came stated that this was 16 episodes, designed to watch your phone or tablet for a more intimate experience. Now I don’t care to watch things this way. Since it was designed for it, I felt that was the best route to go.
Synopsis: a couple boards a Gomo — a self-driving rideshare cab — only to find themselves trapped with no way out.
Now the synopsis does well in setting the stage. We have Amy (Áine) and Derek (Domenic Jungling). Things are tense as they get into this cab. It is self-driving, which allows this couple to open up and they’re bickering from the start. Both are struggling in different ways. They just left a dinner where they asked Derek’s parents for money to pay rent. He’s a copywriter with ten years’ experience, but he recently lost his job. He feels it is due to the emergence of AI replacing what he does. She is a barista.
They go back and forth with different things about the evening they just had. There’s one point where Amy gets a text message and she’s evasive when he asks her about who it is from. They’re fighting causes them to not realize that their car isn’t going the right way. It takes them out of town, to a dark road that is surrounded by woods. The car has to stop when it comes upon a figure standing in the middle. This figure is Thomas Mulnix. It then becomes a night that they’ll never forget, if they survive.
That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is with the concept of this series. This only runs about 20 minutes or so. Each of these 16 episodes are fairly short. This is also a design that they play vertically and is easy to watch on your phone. I was able to watch in a dark room with earbuds in.
Now that I’ve set that up, I did want to say that my initial concern was since these are quick hitters, how well they’d develop the story. It is dialogue driven since it is contained horror. This takes place watching our two leads in the back of a car. There is something eerie about taking a rideshare late at night like they are. Coupling that with there not actually being a driver, it is self-driven, there is no reasoning with someone. Our couple has the free reign to bicker like they do since it isn’t in front of someone that adds realism to this situation.
Something else that helps here is the fact that the problems being brought up are real and easy to connect with. There are a good number of people who are resisting the use of AI. I don’t fully believe that is the only reason that Derek lost his job, but I’d bet it was part of it. What I like is that there’s a chance that it isn’t the case, to an extent. It is just a way to not blame himself. There’s also an element of jealousy. Amy gets a text and ignores it after seeing the alert. Derek asks who it is from and she’s evasive. This then spirals with a reveal.
The film also explores the struggle for parental validation. Derek, depressed by unemployment, resents needing his parents' help with rent and dislikes his father's suggestion of trade school. Meanwhile, Amy feels judged by them for being a barista. Interestingly, without more context on the parents, it is unclear if these tensions are based on reality or their own projections.
Other themes that are explored during this would be the illusion of control. This couple is wrapped up in their issues that they don’t even realize that they’ve been rerouted or where the car is taking them. It is even worse when the app glitches, the screens freeze, the doors lock and they’re powerless to do anything. Building on this, there is no manual override, they’re taken to a dead zone for service and no one to talk to about figuring out the issue. That isolation adds to the terror.
Then for the acting performances. I’ve already said that Áine and Jungling. They truly carry this and I’ll say that they feel like a real couple that are struggling. Mulnix is good as this figure that is creepy when they encounter him. Other than that, I don’t recall anyone else but if there was, they did well for what was needed.
Regarding technical aspects, the filmmaking is impressive. Although the vertical format is a gimmick, it is executed well here, capturing the nightmare of being trapped in a self-driving car. The production value feels high despite knowing it was probably made on a smaller budget. The limited effects were fine for what was needed. Finally, the sound design—specifically the calm, automated voice during the crisis—is a great touch.
In conclusion, this effectively leverages its unique vertical format to create an immersive, tension-filled horror experience. Through its dialogue-driven narrative, the series skillfully weaves together relatable themes of AI-driven anxiety, relationship struggles, and a chilling sense of isolation. With strong performances from Áine and Jungling, alongside impressive sound design and filmmaking, Autonomous proves to be a compelling and well-executed, contained thriller that makes the most of its unconventional presentation.
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10