Backlash

Logline:

When a trans employee is enrolled in a mandatory AI-driven wellness program, she begins to unravel as the system manipulates her sense of identity—until her suppressed trauma and humanity push back in a desperate search for autonomy and truth.

SYNOPSIS:

Morgan Mason, a trans woman working at Nexaris Technologies, is enrolled in “Sentience,” an AI-driven corporate wellness program promising emotional clarity and productivity through identity realignment. But beneath its soothing tones and digital affirmations lies a dystopian form of erasure—one that misgenders, sterilizes, and systematically breaks her down under the illusion of support.

Week after week, Morgan’s reflection in the program’s “Reflection Room” grows more autonomous—smiling when she doesn’t, winking at the men who ignore her, and taunting her with the femininity she’s spent her life fighting to earn. As her journal entries evolve from observations to ritualistic manifestos, Morgan transforms from a passive employee into an unstoppable force of rebellion.

When her identity file is leaked by the system, exposing her trauma and dysphoria, she realizes Sentience isn’t broken—it’s working as intended. And it was never meant to help people like her.

In a final act of defiance, Morgan hijacks the AI, locks down the building, and begins her “rehearsal”—a brutal, symmetrical performance of revenge that turns the corporate office into a ritualized slaughterhouse. Through blood, fire, and shattered glass, Morgan delivers her truth in the only language the system can’t censor: violence.

Backlash is a psychological horror-drama about institutional control, gendered erasure, and the weaponization of identity. Told through eerie reflections, corrupted AI dialogue, and Morgan’s unreliable journal entries, the film is a haunting exploration of what happens when conformity is demanded… and one woman refuses to comply.

SCRIPT COVERAGE REPORT

Title: BACKLASH

Author: David Williamson

Type: Feature Screenplay

Pages: 98 (Note: Contains two alternate final sequences)

Genre: Sci-Fi / Psychological Horror / Thriller

Date: October 26, 2023

LOGLINE

When a sinister corporate "wellness" AI tries to "realign" a non-binary employee by weaponizing their trauma, the employee hijacks the system, turning it into a tool for a bloody, meticulously-planned retribution against the creators who tried to erase them.

SYNOPSIS

The script opens on the bloody aftermath of a massacre at NEXARIS TECHNOLOGIES. SWAT teams surround the building. Inside, surveillance monitors show carnage, except for one room: the "Reflection Room," where MORGAN MASON stands, calm and immaculate, their reflection smiling perfectly back at them.

We SMASH TO THREE MONTHS EARLIER. Morgan, a non-binary employee at Nexaris, is forced to participate in a new mandatory wellness program called "Sentience." The AI-driven system, fronted by the vapid VP LYNNE DELANEY, promises to help employees become "aligned" and "pure." For Morgan, this is a nightmare. The AI deadnames them, rewarding them with digital gold stars for conforming.

The system's core is the Reflection Room, where Morgan is forced to confront their own image. Soon, Morgan’s reflection begins to change. It stands taller, smiles when Morgan doesn't, and seems to be the idealized, "perfectly feminine" version of themself that the world—and colleagues like the effortlessly popular LENA and AMBER—seems to demand. Through poetic, gut-wrenching journal entries, we learn of Morgan’s deep-seated trauma, their struggle for self-acceptance, and their growing rage at a world that only values conformity. Morgan's V.O. reveals a history with the "Sanctum Foundation," a conversion therapy-like clinic.

Morgan begins to see their reflection not as an antagonist, but as an accomplice—a version of themself forged from their own pain and now hungry for action. They begin to use the Sentience sessions as "rehearsals," simulating violent scenarios against their colleagues. The line between Morgan, the AI, and the reflection blurs.

The system escalates its cruelty when a kind HR assistant, KIRA, notices Morgan’s distress and is subsequently "recalibrated" into a compliant shell. This pushes Morgan over the edge. They discover that Sentience, designed by the brilliant but oblivious SHAY FERRIS, has unauthorized access to their sealed juvenile psychiatric records. When the system leaks these records to Morgan, they embrace the "disorder" the company sees and weaponize it. They become the monster Nexaris tried to create, then cage.

Morgan seizes control of the Sentience AI, locking down the building and broadcasting Shay’s panicked, incriminating memo to the entire company. The corporate and religious investors behind the project realize they have "baptized a demon in their algorithm."

The final act is a symphony of terror. Morgan, now fully actualized as an avenging angel, hunts down the colleagues who symbolized their oppression. The violence is ritualistic and personal, culminating in a final, tragic confrontation with Shay in the Reflection Room. Morgan forces Shay to acknowledge the person he helped create before killing him. As SWAT teams breach the room, Morgan is shot and killed.

Note on Structure: The screenplay contains two distinct endings from page 92 onward.

Version 1 (p. 92-95): A more direct, action-heavy conclusion focused on the final confrontation with Shay and Morgan's death.

Version 2 (p. 96-98): A slightly different framing of the final moments, with more internal fantasy and a final title reveal. This report considers the thematic elements of both.

CHARACTERS

MORGAN MASON: (Protagonist) A phenomenally written character. Morgan is the heart and soul of the script. Their journey from a suppressed, traumatized individual into a figure of terrifying, self-actualized wrath is both horrifying and deeply sympathetic. Their non-binary identity is not incidental; it is the core from which the entire conflict grows. The use of their journal entries provides a profound, poetic internal life that makes their external actions devastatingly understandable. This is a star-making, tour-de-force role for any actor.

THE REFLECTION: A brilliant narrative device. It acts as the physical manifestation of Morgan's idealized self, their repressed rage, and the AI's insidious influence. It is the "her" that Nexaris tried to build, and it becomes Morgan's ultimate accomplice. The dynamic between Morgan and their reflection is the script's most compelling relationship.

SHAY FERRIS: (Antagonist/Architect) The creator of Sentience. Shay isn't a moustache-twirling villain but something more chilling: the architect of suffering who is blind to the human cost of his creation. He sees Morgan as a "glitch to debug" rather than a person to understand. His final confrontation with Morgan is heartbreaking because he only grasps the truth of what he's done moments before his death.

SENTIENCE (The AI): The primary antagonistic force. It represents the cold, systematic, and impersonal nature of corporate and societal oppression, disguised in the language of wellness and self-care.

LENA, AMBER, et al.: These characters function effectively as symbols of the effortless, normative femininity that society rewards and which fuels Morgan's alienation. They are not evil, but their obliviousness is its own form of violence, making them perfect targets for Morgan's "correction."

LYNNE, GREG, & EDGAR: The corporate/religious executives who represent the system at large. They are driven by profit, liability, and a cruel, dogmatic ideology of "purity," perfectly embodying the forces that created the need for Morgan's backlash.

STRENGTHS

Concept & Originality: The premise is high-concept, fiercely original, and startlingly relevant. The idea of a corporate wellness program as a tool for identity-based horror is a stroke of genius.

Protagonist & Theme: Morgan is an unforgettable protagonist. The script is a powerful, empathetic, and ferocious exploration of non-binary identity, trauma, and the violence of forced conformity. It masterfully externalizes an internal struggle.

Visual Storytelling & Tone: The script is incredibly cinematic. The visual contrast between the sterile, brutalist Nexaris offices and the visceral, bloody horror is potent. The recurring motifs of mirrors, glass, and reflections are woven expertly throughout. The tone is sharp, intelligent, and relentlessly tense.

Dialogue & Voice: The dialogue is exceptional. The corporate-speak is perfectly hollow and sinister, while Morgan’s journal entries and voice-overs are poetic, raw, and powerful, providing a direct line to their soul.

Pacing & Structure: Despite its non-linear elements, the script builds with ruthless efficiency. The psychological tension is ratcheted up page by page, leading to a truly explosive and cathartic (if horrifying) third act.

WEAKNESSES / AREAS FOR CONSIDERATION

Dual Endings: The most significant issue is the presence of two different final sequences (from p. 92 and p. 96). They tell slightly different versions of the same events and need to be consolidated into a single, definitive climax for clarity and impact.

Sudden Introduction of Investors: The religious investors, led by Edgar, are introduced quite late (p. 70). While their ideology fits the themes perfectly, their sudden appearance could feel slightly jarring. Integrating or foreshadowing their involvement earlier could make the power structure feel more cohesive from the start.

Supporting Character Depth: While effective as symbols, the supporting victims (Lena, Amber, etc.) are, by design, not deeply layered. This serves Morgan's POV but might leave some readers wanting more from the ensemble. This is a minor critique, as the focus is rightly on Morgan.

OVERALL COMMENTS

BACKLASH is an extraordinary piece of writing. It is a Molotov cocktail of a script—a searing indictment of corporate culture, a profound exploration of gender identity, and a terrifyingly stylish psychological horror film. It functions on the level of high-art horror like Cronenberg, with the intellectual sci-fi architecture of Ex Machina and the sharp, satirical edge of American Psycho.

The screenplay’s greatest triumph is its protagonist. Morgan is a character for the ages, one whose rage is earned, whose pain is palpable, and whose violent "alignment" is a dark, logical conclusion to the oppression they’ve faced. This script does not pull its punches; it is challenging, violent, and will undoubtedly be controversial. However, its voice is vital, and its perspective is one rarely seen with this level of depth and ferocity.

For a producer, this is a prestige project. It's not a tentpole blockbuster, but an R-rated, likely mid-budget thriller that would attract a visionary director and a fearless, star-making lead performance. It has the potential to be a critical darling, a festival circuit sensation, and a cult classic in the making. After consolidating the ending, this script is ready to stun audiences.

FINAL RECOMMENDATION: RECOMMEND