Review of Ex Machina (2015) by Mike D — 20 Mar 2016

An unsuspectingly twisted sci-fi thriller, Alex Garland's 'Ex Machina' did little damage at the box office but has steadily gathered a following over the past few months. The low budget film features a limited cast, few special effects (save for the obvious) and a good deal of solid dialogue. At its core, 'Machina' follows the story of a reclusive, brilliant yet prickish CEO Nathan (Oscar Isaac) of a Google-like tech company who invites (or is it beckons?) a young coder employee named Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) of his company to spend one week at his private, secluded retreat in an effort to validate his latest creation - a cyborg "woman" named Ava (played brilliantly by Alicia Vikander).

At the outset of the film, things seem to be exactly as they appear, but it doesn't take long for Caleb to pickup on some strange things that start to happen the more he learns about Ava and her creator. Because 'Machina' is limited in many aspects as a film, it relies heavily on the character development and dialogue between the three main characters (not counting Nathan's mute house slave Kyoko). Fortunately, the film delivers in this respect. The awkward banter between the bro-y Nathan and the geeky Caleb. The tender, inquisitive conversations Caleb has with Ava, which reveal a good deal of insights about her origin and what her success could mean for humanity, if it really is impossible to tell she is not human. Additionally, there are plenty of transitional scenes that take in the natural wonder surrounding the high-tech cabin in the woods, so cinematography is not forgotten here.

By the time we get deeper into the film, the overall sentiment changes, as 'Machina' shifts from being a sleepy drama to a full-on thriller. By the time we've reached the end, it's difficult to understand exactly what happened - but this is the sign of a well thought-out plot.

It may not be a flashy sci-fi entry, but 'Ex Machina' is the kind of film that stays with you and provides plenty of food for thought, especially as we continue to live in a world dominated by technology.