Exciting and though-provoking

Rating: 10/10 (30 July 2015)

The movie is about Caleb, a programmer who is the human aspect in a Turing Test on an A.I. named Ava. Ava was built by Nathan, a reclusive billionaire genius. This isn't a tinfoil hat, Skynet A.I. movie. It touches upon self-awareness, privacy, and to a certain extent freedom.
It's written and directed by Alex Garland, who wrote 28 Days Later, Dredd, and a few other films. This was his first time directing and I think he did a phenomenal job. He really understands how to get the viewer enthralled and forget there is a world outside the testing facility that the film takes place in.
The movie is great in every way. I'm going to break down each aspect of the film into paragraphs because I have a lot to say about this film (and it's easier to read that way).
The story is though-provoking, tension filled, and mostly unpredictable. The story's progression was shown in a slightly unconventional way, but it went together well and was clear. It's almost a Stanley Kubrick meets David Fincher kinda film. It was different than anything Garland has written and he did a great job.
The cinematography was stunning and clever. The subtle uses of reflections and angles to reveal more about the characters was really creative. The use of color was also clever. For example, when we are first introduced to Ava she stands out because of her blue accented robot body inside a rather dull environment.
The acting was great! I was unfamiliar with all three of the main actors, but they have really set a good impression on me. Domnhall Gleeson played Caleb, Oscar Isaac played Nathan, and Alicia Vikander played Ava. My only critique is how Gleeson portrayed the progression of his character, making him seem irrational. Alicia was my favorite performance because she's hot and managed to make a robot compelling. Aside form her being hot she really had a hard part to play but she did an amazing job. Garland said that the viewer falls in love with the robot, which weirdly I agree with. Gleeson and Isaac have been in their share of Hollywood films, but this film is Vikanders big break into the industry (she's playing a major role in the upcoming Man from UNCLE).
The soundtrack was amazing. It added a lot of ambiance to the environment and set the tone.
This cerebral sci-fi is exciting and beautiful. The story was though-provoking and full of tension. The cinematography was stunning and clever. The acting was outstanding Lastly, the soundtrack was beautiful. All this put together makes a gorgeous and enthralling movie. I definitely recommend watching this. 9.5/10. Another reason to watch this is because it touches upon privacy and A.I. problems we will be dealing with in the near future.