Ex Machina: The Should, the Could and the Empty

Expecting Tomorrowland here? Me too, but it has bombed so hard in reviews that I decided to turn my attention to a different science fiction film released earlier this year.


Almost all movies about artificial intelligence use the simulated sentience as a platform with which to debate what it means to be human. 2001: A Space Odyssey used HAL to postulate that the survival instinct transforms a machine into a living thing. Her used Samantha to show that love is what makes us human, and it's a very strong force (Interstellar said something similar without using AI). But in Ex Machina, we look into how a human thinks, not what they think. So, what does it mean to be human?

First-time director Alex Garland does an outstanding job in setting up a very personal and claustrophobic film that focuses essentially on only three people: Caleb, a smart coder who is brought to an isolated facility to perform a Turing test on an AI; Ava, said AI who shows interest in Caleb beyond their small talk during the tests; and Nathan, a genius who designed the world's biggest search engine (called Bluebook, obviously referring to Google) and Ava. All three actors performed brilliantly in this film, each bringing many layers to the subtle surface of their characters. Oscar Isaac in particular (playing Nathan) blew me away with his mixture of social ineptness, alcoholism, intelligence, and a chilling sinister feel that made me debate whether he was bad or good. Domhnall Gleeson also did very well as Caleb, a man caught between two warring factions: the creator and the created. Then Alicia Vikander plays Ava perfectly: an innocent AI who is discovering her love and sexuality while Caleb must struggle with his own desires and Nathan just watches. Much like Foxcatcher last year, the three leading actors bring their A-games to this film.

Because this story takes place within a remote facility, it can be a bit slow at times, but the music keeps the suspense driving. If I could only use one word to describe this film, it'd be Atmospheric. The environment is haunting in a too-clean experiment kind of way (like the video game Portal), the characters all seem to have ulterior motives, and suspicion and paranoia dominate much of the film. I loved the screenplay, which included a few twists and turns but also had great dialogue about the human condition (a scene where Caleb describes Mary in a Gray Box was especially well done). The cinematography is very relaxed, taking its time, which I enjoyed but might turn others off. I will say there are several scenes of graphic nudity (although nothing is happening, much like people posing for an art piece) and Ava's sexual design plays a role in the story. But that should not turn anyone looking for a cerebral film, or just a great old-school sci fi. This is my second favorite film of 2015 (very close behind '71, which I will review once it becomes available to see again).

Verdict: Anyone old enough SHOULD see this film as soon as possible. Oscar Isaac is my pick for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar (ha!) this year so far.