Ex Machina

Ex-Machina

This review was planned months ago and like many other pieces, has remained on my desk untouched, unloved and unintentionally getting out dated.

In short, this film is great… Please read on though.

It sees Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) a programmer; win a competition to visit the CEO of the biggest search engine company in the world. Nathan (Oscar Isaac) who is the CEO is in a secluded oasis where Caleb is now part of a Turing Test in order to determine whether, having already been told Ava (Alicia Vikander) is an AI whether she is conscious.

The cast is spectacular and small, a great combination. All 3 are very well combined and complement each other well. Oscar and Domhnall are both competing and yet seem to have a commonality in their desires for what AI can do and its wonders. Domhnall’s character is very tragic to me, he always seems highly intelligent yet quite ignorant to motivations and desires of the other 2 characters. Nathan is dark, funny and constantly ambiguous, he doesn’t ever seem black or white and manages to walk a line of ethical danger. Watch out for Nathan cutting moves.

Ava is the star of this film. Alicia Vikander is gorgeous, clearly intelligent and in this role haunts the camera. Previous dance experience aids in her deathly movements around the screen and is ethereal. She is sexy, seductive and smooth.

The whole visual of this film is sleek, pastel and modern. The whole location from the surrounding area to the building is very detaching and screams lonely. The whole feeling of lonely runs through this film and leaves you feeling lonely yourself but is fun and engaging throughout.

The sound and music of this film is great and very fitting.