This is Her, Now, in Space: J.Lo Heads to a New Galaxy for AI Love Story in ‘Atlas’

Let’s make it crystal clear, in case it wasn’t already, that with Jennifer Lopez, it’s always about the love story. Always.

J.Lo the pop star, singing about rekindled love on her latest album, This is Me … Now. J.Lo the rom-com regular, making movies about seeking love (including the extremely autobiographical film of the same name.) J.Lo the real-life celebrity goddess, in countless headlines about … what else?

Love, whether for better or worse.

So, if we were to inform you that Jennifer Lopez stars in “Atlas” as a data analyst journeying to a planet inhabited solely by malevolent AI bots bent on eradicating humanity, your immediate query should rightly be, “Where’s the love story?”

Well, we’re delighted you asked! Because there is indeed one. It might not involve a human. In fact, it might involve a computer program. But it exists. Because “Atlas,” a frequently ludicrous sci-fi saga boasting dialogue cheesier than a wheel of Brie but also a timeless, human core of gold, is quintessentially a J.Lo film. From start to finish.

We must acknowledge the filmmakers for their timely approach with “Atlas,” directed by Brad Peyton (known for “San Andreas”). This timeliness isn’t just due to Jennifer Lopez’s recent presence in the media, but also because of the subject matter: artificial intelligence — which, believe it or not, has garnered even more attention than the rekindled Bennifer romance.

Our tale commences on Earth, far into the future, in an era where someone might jest, “Remember when we had those things called smartphones?” eliciting laughter from all. Through a montage of news reports, we glean that humanity has hit a rough patch. AI, initially designed to propel human progress, has instead turned hostile, resulting in the deaths of over 1 million civilians.

The evil AI leader is Harlan (Simu Liu), who after turning on humanity has escaped to an unknown location far from Earth. But when an associate of his, Casca, is captured on Earth, the head of ICN, a coalition of nations fighting the AI menace, calls on Atlas Shepherd (Lopez) to help question him. Who better than the woman who’s devoted her life to the hunt for Harlan?

We discover that Atlas is a discontented individual. Furthermore, she’s reliant on coffee — specifically, quad Americanos. And she harbors a profound disdain — a vehement one, at that — toward AI, for reasons undisclosed.

Moving on, Atlas skillfully extracts Harlan’s whereabouts from Casca, prompting her to earnestly request inclusion in a mission aimed at apprehending the villainous bot, with whom she unexpectedly shares a murky past connection. Initially, mission commander Banks (portrayed by Sterling K. Brown) vehemently opposes this notion, only to abruptly and somewhat illogically reverse his stance. (Both Liu and Brown are capable of far superior roles than the generic, uninspired ones they’re handed here.)

Before long, they embark on a journey to GR-39 in the Andromeda galaxy, where the ICN space rangers become ensnared in a calamitous trap orchestrated by Harlan. It is at this juncture that Atlas encounters the most pivotal entity in the film — though not a human. It’s her AI software, who emerges as her indispensable ally when Atlas is compelled to crash-land, clad in her mechanized battle suit, onto the planet.

The key issue is trust-building. Atlas, as we said, doesn’t trust AI. As the two get to know each other, the software gives himself (he has a “default” male voice) a name: Smith

Atlas: “Is that really necessary?” Smith: “Names create an emotional reaction.” Atlas: “You’re a computer program.”

The strategy entails locating Harlan, thwarting his nefarious scheme to obliterate humanity, and escaping the planet — all while striving to stay alive. At each juncture, Smith keeps Atlas informed, utilizing all available data to emphasize the dire odds they face. This dynamic results in some entertaining banter, as Smith, voiced by Gregory James Cohan, gradually acquires a grasp of sarcasm and humor.

Meanwhile, Atlas must learn to dismantle her defenses — specifically, the barriers of her mind. Her inherent distrust of AI initially prompts her to stubbornly rebuff Smith’s suggestions to utilize the “neural link” — a conduit into each other’s minds — which could significantly enhance her chances of survival by melding her analytical prowess with Smith’s data access.

Harlan doesn’t make an appearance until halfway through the film, and we soon uncover a tragic connection he shares with Atlas. Nevertheless, it’s Smith, not Harlan, who ultimately elicits genuine emotions from Atlas — affording Lopez an opportunity to express herself, which she does admirably given the lackluster dialogue. One might label it a futuristic triangle: Human, malevolent AI, benevolent AI.

As for the outcome? Our protocol, as Smith might remark, prohibits us from divulging spoilers. However, one notion that unmistakably emerges is a shining beacon: It’s a four-letter word beginning with “L.”