Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Hot Spot

Play trailer 1:45 Poster for Hot Spot R Aug 2026 1h 40m Sci-Fi Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
17% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 26% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
In Hot Spot, set in a near future society ruled by sentient A.I., a private eye investigates a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord. As the detective's identity slowly unravels, his world enters a state of hypnotic meltdown.
Watch on Fandango Stream Now

Where to Watch

Hot Spot

Critics Reviews

View More
Guy Lodge Variety Aug 21, 2026
One could, at a push, argue for Hot Spot as a nihilistic forecast of a future in which artificial intelligence renders void all human conflict and contrast. If so, Smoczynska’s restless, vigorously witty imagination feels proudly unsuited to that vision. Go to Full Review
Monica Castillo AV Club Aug 21, 2026
D
Hot Spot is trying to say something but it loses interest in its own dystopia. Go to Full Review
Natalia Winkelman New York Times Aug 20, 2026
Hot Spot, with its arcane rules and stilted exposition, is closer to a video game or a lucid dream than a worthy science-fiction entry. Go to Full Review
Todd Jorgenson Cinemalogue 6 days ago
Emphasizing bleak dystopian atmosphere over coherent storytelling, this surreal drama winds up more tedious than provocative. Go to Full Review
Maxance Vincent InSession Film Sep 3, 2026
D-
A tedious but oddly intoxicating nothingburger. Go to Full Review
Nicolás Delgadillo Knotfest Aug 28, 2026
Absolutely not for everyone, but there are so many ideas and inspirations stuffed into this genre gumbo that it’s hard not to admire. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Allen Aug 24, 2026 I really wanted to like this movie… And there are some nice visuals here. I just wish they were accompanied by a coherent story. See more Kei Aug 23, 2026 The film was too discreet and dystopian to understand any underlying meaning See more miguel a Aug 21, 2026 As a private eye investigates a murder in a future world of sentient A.I., his identity and marriage suffer a hypnotic meltdown. Sci-fi/Thriller Pros: Definitely unique, with cool visuals, a decent score, and some intense gore effects. Cons: Talk about a director being up his own ass. Weird and obtuse just for the sake of being weird and obtuse. Maybe I’m an idiot, but none of this movie made any damn sense to me. Overall: Definitely unique and visually interesting, but way too weird and obtuse for its own good. I spent most of the movie wondering what the hell I was watching. See more LauVeh Aug 21, 2026 Really did not like this movie, it was a bit too boring See more Donnie D @Donnie37 20 hrs ago Personally I loved this movie. It’s an instant cult classic. IGNORE ALL THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS! This movie is NOT for the average half-wit. However if you have a creative & curious mind I highly recommend it. This movie is WAY above most people’s heads. If you enjoyed movies like Donnie Darko, Lost in Translation and Black Swan, then there is a good chance you will enjoy this movie. It is a creative MASTERPIECE! A true work of art. IMO The dystopian AI future it portrays is absolutely terrifying on a level never before scene on screen. This film will unnerve your soul! Also I believe this movie has been purposefully repressed by the powers that be. “They” don’t want people know what humanity might have to contend with in the future! See more Griffith J @griffithxjohnson 4 days ago I respect films that boldly do strange things but they still need to be purposeful, yet this one does not do that. Thematically contradicting & boring, which sucks because of how wild this tries to be & the last thing it should be is uninteresting. I love Rapace & her presence onscreen, I just hope she does more mainstream & less experimental projects next. Tonally confused by mixing post apocalyptic dystopia & futuristic sci fi concepts into a world that feels weak in both areas. A few absolutely insane violent scenes but mostly drawn out nonsense that has me wishing it would all end quickly. See more Read all reviews
Hot Spot

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING
Redux Redux 97% 60% Redux Redux Watchlist TRAILER for Redux Redux The Animal Kingdom 83% 75% The Animal Kingdom Watchlist TRAILER for The Animal Kingdom The Fare 100% 80% The Fare Watchlist TRAILER for The Fare The Artifice Girl 92% 74% The Artifice Girl Watchlist TRAILER for The Artifice Girl Minor Premise 88% 88% Minor Premise Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis In Hot Spot, set in a near future society ruled by sentient A.I., a private eye investigates a murder case only to discover a rebel group capable of undermining the digital overlord. As the detective's identity slowly unravels, his world enters a state of hypnotic meltdown.
Director
Agnieszka Smoczynska
Producer
Bogna Szewczyk, Klaudia Śmieja, Gregory Jankilevitsch
Screenwriter
Robert Bolesto
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Madants
Rating
R (Graphic Nudity|Gore|Brief Language|Sexual Content|Strong Violent Content)
Genre
Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 21, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 8, 2026
Runtime
1h 40m
Join The Newsletter Join The Newsletter Cookie Settings