We all find ourselves glued to our phones, scrolling through stressful news or endless videos, often neglecting more important tasks. Even though we know it’s detrimental, it’s hard to resist, especially since so much of our lives revolve around screens. And while we recognize that less screen time would be beneficial, our hyper-connected society doesn’t make it any easier to embrace healthier habits.
This theme resonates in Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, the new sci-fi film directed by Gore Verbinski. It tells the story of one man’s desperate attempt to save humanity from a future where machines have taken over. While the premise echoes that of the Terminator and Matrix franchises, Good Luck ventures into a weirder and more whimsical examination of our fears surrounding artificial intelligence.
At times, the film struggles to comically link today’s screen addiction to the societal collapse of tomorrow. But as chaotic as the narrative gets, it addresses a pressing issue: our constant bombardment of mind-numbing content and the unquestioning acceptance of new technology.
Set in present-day Los Angeles, the story features an unnamed man (a surprisingly captivating Sam Rockwell) claiming to be a time traveler. After holding up a diner, he attempts to convince its patrons to join him in stopping AI from becoming a catastrophic threat. In his future, humanity is in hiding, and initially, the diner patrons dismiss his outlandish claims. Their skepticism shifts when he dramatically reveals his makeshift time travel suit and announces he’s rigged himself with explosives.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die combines a madcap humor with darker elements as the film delves into the lives of potential recruits for the protagonist’s cause. Shifting to a tension-filled scenario, we see teachers Janet (Zazie Beetz) and Mark (Michael Peña) dealing with students mesmerized by a strange signal from their phones. Meanwhile, we meet Ingrid (Haley Lu Richardson), who struggles to maintain her job due to an unusual allergy to Wi-Fi.
Even though this time traveler has visited the diner numerous times, he isn’t sure which group of patrons he needs to convince. His knowledge about their lives makes some of them consider the possibility of his truthfulness. Though none are fully convinced he’s trustworthy, Susan (Juno Temple), a mother coping with recent loss, feels his words resonate with their struggles.
Matthew Robinson’s script has moments that feel a bit cluttered, but its Rashomon-like storytelling style gives Verbinski the chance to flex his directorial muscles. He plays with a vibrant visual style that matches the future man’s jitteriness, mirroring concerns about overstimulation from technology. This energetic approach shines in the film’s wild action sequences, featuring creatures that critique generative AI. Yet, the most impactful scenes occur when Verbinski slows things down, allowing a deeper look into the strangeness and dysfunction already present in modern life.
Even when Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die falters in connecting its plots, the film offers an exhilarating ride that addresses everything making life in 2026 feel like we’re speeding toward an abyss. In a time when Hollywood is pushing everyone to adopt generative AI, it’s refreshing to see a narrative that urgently warns us about impending dangers—even if its messenger is a man with a bomb strapped to his chest.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die also stars Asim Chaudhry, Tom Taylor, Riccardo Drayton, Dino Fetscher, Anna Acton, Daniel Barnett, Dominique Maher, Adam Burton, and Georgia Goodman. The movie hits theaters soon.
