The Mitchells vs. The Machines

The Mitchells vs. The Machines puts a new spin on the dysfunctional family trope by setting it in the midst of a smartphone apocalypse. It explores the question of What if your trusted technology turned on you?


Technology has widened the generation gap between Katie Mitchell and her father Rick. Katie is a creative who spends her time making her own DIY films starring her dog and brother while her father has no idea how to access a phone or computer to watch her work. Katie is about to leave home to go to film school and Rick uses this as a last chance to connect with his daughter so he plans to drive her to school. The day the Mitchells decide to leave happens to be the same day machines take over the world.


As the Mitchells embark on their trek, tech giant Mark Bowman introduces a new version of the film's Siri name PAL. It takes the form of a robot but things go south when the original PAL takes over and turns all technology against humans. The Mitchells are the only survivors and it is up to them to save humanity.


The voice cast is phenomenal and brings the characters to life. Abbi Jacobson as Katie doesn't make the role of an awkward teen a cliché and Danny Mcbride as her father gives a heartfelt performance. There are a lot of surprise voices that pop in throughout the film.


The design of the animation is the best part of this story. It looks almost hand-drawn like a comic book being acted out. The distinct style looks like something Katie would have created herself. At times it gets cluttered with different visuals but your eyes never get dull.