The Nerd Herd is a self-titled group of college friends who shared a dorm their Freshman year—they gave themselves this name due to the fact that they had all received scholarships. However, over the past four years, the once tight friends have grown a bit apart, each off doing their own thing. So, for Spring Break of their senior year, jock Drew (Jedidiah Goodacre, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, The Order) has decided to get the gang back together, renting a high-tech smart home befitting the “Nerd Herd” for the weekend.

Hannah (Madison Pettis, The Fosters) is a self-proclaimed genius, a talented programmer who wants to work for Google, but is currently focused on getting into grad school. While this is supposed to be a vacation, she’s bringing along her laptop to get some work done. On the opposite side of the spectrum is sex-crazed couple Devon (Jordan Buhat, grown-ish) and Kayla (Phoebe Miu, Upload, Riverdale), who would happily spend all weekend in bed together. And rounding out the group is stoner Clay (Richard Harmon, The 100), who has packed a huge bag of buds for his time with his… buds. However, just as they are about to head off, the group is joined by Devon’s clingy and social-media obsessed girlfriend, influencer Lexi (Vanessa Morgan, Riverdale) who has decided to tag along when when her previous Spring Break plans suddenly fall through. She is definitely the outsider of this group, but that doesn’t seem to matter to her.

When the gang arrives at the rental home, they are greeted by the smart home AI, Margaux (Susan Bennett). She requires them to download an app, sign a user agreement, and submit to a face recognition scan before they can enter. Hannah gets a bit suspicious, but doesn’t have any social media presence that Margaux can match up to, which the AI finds a bit perturbing. Initially Margaux tries too hard to sound hip and cool in order to relate to her new houseguests, but they laugh this off, pleased by the amenities the house and its AI have to offer. In the kitchen, Margaux makes use of robotic arms that allow her to prepare any food, or offer her guests a welcome drink. She also has the ability to 3D print pretty much anything else they desire. As the guests explore the home and find their rooms, they discover that Margaux has already analyzed their online profiles and tailored each room with personal items she believes will please them. Hannah’s room is a bit stark, but Margaux forebodingly insists that it is only a matter of time until she learns more about Hannah.

The guests settle down for a night of drinking, games and reconnecting. However, it isn’t long before strange things start happening inside the house, and the houseguests start to learn that Margaux has ulterior motives and a sinister master plan. One-by-one, the friends become Margaux’s victims as she uses her complete control of the house against them. Will any of these seemingly-doomed houseguests figure out what’s going on and find a way to stop the rogue AI before it’s too late?!

As the film begins, viewers are presented with a graphic, slasher-like cold open sequence, setting the stage for what Margaux is capable of, and what is to come. But before we return to this deadly home, the filmmakers first introduce us to this group of friends and their dynamic, which sort of checks all of the various slasher movie victim types. We’ve got the jock, the sex-crazed couple, the nerdy one, the self-absorbed one, the stoner, and so on…the only type missing seems to be the gay one (though Clay’s sexuality isn’t really explored, so perhaps he checks this box as well). Once we arrive at the home, the filmmakers do a nice job of slowly and ominously building the tension, and giving the audience a few fake-outs before the real carnage begins. Even as Margaux is working her way through the houseguests, there are a few more fun misdirects and red-herrings. There’s also a lot of humor thrown in here and there to help ease the tension. I found it pretty amusing how they cast the voice of Siri to play Margaux!

The first two-thirds of the movie worked really well for me, with some fun characters and dialogue, even though they do fall into some slasher movie clichés, and some creative and sometimes gruesome kills. The filmmakers do an excellent job of keeping you at the edge of your seat, wondering what danger awaits one of the houseguests next, only to then have you laughing at some of the crazy antics of the houseguests, like self-absorbed Lexi or stoned-out Clay. However, once we get into the final showdown is where things fall off the rails slightly. The story becomes overly complex and confusing. In the film’s attempts to provide some sort of clever twist, it just ends up a bit confusing and nonsensical. I would have a very difficult time trying to explain the logic behind what happens in the final act. That said, I did enjoy the film, cast and characters over all.

Normally I would comment on the audio and video presentation of the release, but I watched this film via a screener which may not reflect the final consumer product. Also, it does not appear that this release includes any bonus material.

Margaux is now available on digital platforms from Paramount Home Entertainment.

What’s Included:

Digital specs may vary by retailer.

Film: (1:44:05)

• 2160p / Widescreen 2.39:1
• Audio: English Dolby Digital 5.1
• Subtitles: English

Extras:

There is no bonus material included with this release.

Final Thoughts:

Margaux is an entertaining and unique take on the thriller/slasher genre, with a very different kind of killer. The film features a fun younger cast, many of whom may be recognizable from other TV projects. The first two-thirds of the film are really well done, but the final act feels a bit rushed and overly-complex. The movie is worth checking out for slasher fans or those looking for a different kind of horror movie.