'Serena' is directed with confidence by Rob Alicea.

Chris Sadowski (Steven Strait) realizes AI might be the end of us all. (Courtesy Photo)

REVIEW

'Serena'  is directed with confidence by Rob Alicea, while Steven Strait gives the film its emotional center as the troubled 
Chris Sadowski.

Rob Alicea’s “Serena” is a tense, compelling psychological thriller that turns a familiar modern anxiety into an absorbing piece of character-driven suspense. It works because it stays close to the emotional reality of Chris Sadowski (Steven Strait), a washed-up rock musician trying to keep his life from falling apart while everything around him closes in.

Chris is a soon-to-be father already burdened by addiction and a compulsive gambling habit, but the more immediate threat is eviction. Desperate to make quick money, he accepts a risky opportunity offered by a close friend: to participate in a beta test for a new tech experiment developed by his progressive company. With 48 hours hanging over him like a countdown to disaster, Chris agrees.

His wife is working long shifts as a waitress, trying to keep them afloat. She knows the money is tight, but she does not yet realize how close they are to losing everything. That detail adds emotional weight to the story, grounding the thriller in real-world pressure and the painful cost of desperation.

Told largely through Chris’s computer screen, “Serena” creates a contained but highly effective sense of dread. What begins as a simple test gradually becomes something much more unsettling, as the line between convenience and control starts to blur. The film’s strength lies in how it turns a contemporary tech premise into a deeply human crisis.

Steven Strait delivers a strong and layered performance as a man pushed to the edge. He keeps Chris believable throughout, capturing both vulnerability and determination in a way that gives the film real emotional force.

Ashleigh Murray also does strong work as Holly, a desperate employee trying to keep her job and protect her career path. She brings a grounded urgency to the role, adding another layer of realism to the film’s portrait of people living under pressure.

Andi Matichak is especially effective as Serena, delivering one of the most memorable villain performances in recent psychological thrillers. She is chilling without ever becoming theatrical, and that restraint makes her even more terrifying. Serena feels like a presence that can get inside a person’s head, which is exactly what makes the performance so effective.

Rob Alicea demonstrates impressive craftsmanship as a director, maintaining a firm grip on the film’s tension, pacing, and emotional momentum throughout. Just as crucially, he preserves the surprise until the end, and that level of control takes real skill. The result is a smart, confidently handled thriller that knows exactly how to deliver its payoff.

Alicea’s range as a filmmaker adds further context to the film’s assured tone. He created the comedy series “Adulthood,” which screened at the 2017 HBO New York Latino Film Festival, and directed the supernatural thriller short “The Hat Man” for Leaving Normal Productions. He also recently wrote the psychological horror script “Just Smile” with Alexander Vargas for Luz Films, the company behind “In the Summers.” That background in comedy, horror, and psychological suspense helps explain the confidence and control he brings to “Serena.”

“Serena” is a smart, suspenseful psychological thriller that keeps audiences engaged while exploring vulnerability, pressure, and control. With strong performances, sharp direction, and a gripping premise, it leaves a lasting impression and delivers a genuinely satisfying watch.

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Cinematographer: Dominick Sivilli