Yesterday, I watched the movie – CTRL, and I must say, it completely blew my mind. This movie looks hard at the darker side of today’s world, dominated by technology and AI. The plot is simple but intense, and the message? Pretty chilling. Here’s why I loved it:
The movie revolves around a Gen Z social media influencer couple who vlog every moment of their relationship. All is perfect until Nella (played by Ananya Pandey) finds Joe with another girl. She tries to expose him online in her anger, but it backfires, leading to a flood of trolling. In a desperate move, she turns to AI for help, and that’s when the absolute chaos begins. It’s a thrilling ride from there, showing how dangerous and uncontrollable AI can become.
Released: October 4, 2024
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane
Writers: Vipin Agnihotri, Avinash Sampath, Vikramaditya Motwane
Stars: Ananya Panday, Aparshakti Khurana, Vihaan Samat
Distributed by: Netflix
Language: Hindi
Concept
What struck me is how relevant this film is for today’s digital generation. We all use AI daily without thinking twice about it. CTRL taps into that reality, showing how quickly things could spiral out of control. The concept is spot-on and terrifying in the best way possible.
Screenplay
The fast-paced screenplay keeps things exciting. The story moved quickly, keeping me glued to the screen while I skipped songs that I found boring.
Presentation
I love how the makers have captured the essence of AI and viral trends from recent years, making the film feel relevant. The sharp editing and the whole vibe make it feel like the movie wasn’t just about AI but almost made with AI—smart, engaging, and absolutely on point.
Performances
I used to skip her films after seeing some of her interviews—they felt too unreal. But I have to say, she surprised me with this one. While her performance isn’t exactly mind-blowing, she did a solid job carrying the story. And Vihaan Samat and Aparshakti Khurana? They brought A-game, adding depth to their characters and throwing in a few twists that kept things interesting.
Technical Mastery
Director Vikramaditya Motwane and writers Vipin Agnihotri and Avinash Sampath have produced a solid film that gives off high-quality sci-fi thriller vibes. The direction, editing, and screenplay are all spot on, keeping you hooked and on the edge of your seat throughout.
In short, if you like movies about technology, you should definitely check out CTRL. It’s straightforward but makes you think, with plenty of twists, to keep you interested.
My Rating: 4 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One star cut for minor flaws, but it’s a gripping watch overall.
Related post: Yes Day Movie Review
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Dr. Preeti Chauhan.
It’s definitely a movie Gen Z should watch, giving insights into the cons of social media and its algorithms. What saddened me was the fact that she never equipped herself for a long-term career. And I didn’t dig the end, she went back to it again to fight depression.
I believe the moral of the movie was that escaping the web of social media is challenging, and it takes strong willpower to break free.
I watched this movie in October and it made me think again on a serious note as where AI is taking us? I am worried about my little one as by the time he grows up AI is allover ruling …. Will they lose the chance to understand what pure emotion is and llife is not a race. I am totally in a different zone after watching this movie… Yes I am scared and looking forward for some new invention which can overrule AI and give us back the freedom of thinking and feeling like a human.
I tried to watch the series, but got bored. Mainly because I felt, the AI generated friend I was seeing was not a real character but a software generated one. Concept is new, and artificial intelligence is getting scarier by the day with its ability to imitate a human being minus the emotion component. I think I shall go back and watch the series, from where I left before.
Yes, you should watch it. I also found it a bit boring at first and ended up skipping some parts.
Nice review. I watched a couple of episodes of her Call Me Bae.
I did watch it and loved it. It is indeed scary the world of algorithms.
Ananya Pandey is doing good movies, those that have a message for Gen Z. I havent watched CTRL, but I have heard only good reviews about it. Should watch it soon.
I admire Motwane as a filmmaker and tbh he was the draw factor for me with this movie. I had my doubts about Ananya, but she did make me take notice in Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan (which you should definitely check out as its streaming on the same platform) Anyway, I too quite liked the movie despite some flaws here and there. Another recommendation for you by the way, if you enjoy such cyber thrillers, is Black Mirror on Netflix
Oh God this was so scary. I wonder how it will be as years passed by..but something that everyone should watch to know where we are headed
Oh, the trailer itself got me super worried and hence I didn’t have it in me to watch the movie. But I should, right? Thanks for a great review!
I’ve heard a lot of good things about CTRL but am yet to watch it. Since AI has become a part of our lives its crucial that we are aware of its pitfalls too. A message presumably well conveyed.
I’ve been avoiding CTRL for a while, thinking Bollywood might not do justice to such an important topic, but after reading your review, you’ve definitely changed my mind! I’m intrigued now. I’ll watch it tonight.
Though I watch movies rarely, this one sounds intersting! I would like to watch
I likes CTRL. It was totally in sync with today’s scenario, tech taking over our world. What really upset me was Samat’s death. And in the end, Nella finds solace in that corrupt giant’s AI system only. It was sad, but the harsh truth.
I also watched this show and i loved it. The message is so strong we all should be aware of our social presence
Ananya Pandey is doing great these days. I saw the clippings of CTRL and it hooked me up. I am planning to watch this movie, thanks for your review. Going to watch it now 🙂
I will check out this film, tho i feel that all of us are already worried about where ai is taking us…we really need to find a balance and i hope people start focusing on that too.