Engaging and thought provoking

Rating: 8/10 (20 April 2015)

Quickie Review:
Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is an employee at a tech company who is invited by the CEO, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), for an undisclosed project. When Caleb arrives at Nathan's estate he finds out that he will be conducting a series of experiments. These are no ordinary tests, he is there to examine the human nature of an A.I. named Ava (Alicia Vikander). Ex Machina, is a grounded sci-fi movie exploring the idea of what makes someone or in this case something, human. While this is not an untouched theme in cinema, the movie blends sci-fi with thriller elements that will keep you constantly on edge. The small cast and close proximity provided a great environment to raise the related philosophical and psychological questions in a deeply engaging manner.
Full Review:
Ex Machina, was one of my highly anticipated movies of the year. I have said so in the past that films about A.I. tend to go over the top with its scope. However, here we have a movie that pulls back and concentrates on the characters involved, and they are the best part about the movie.
With such a small cast of just three it was critical that their on- screen performance carried the movie, and it did. Oscar Isaac was great as the eccentric billionaire genius. One moment he is a friendly outgoing guy, quite often making us laugh at his unconventional behavior. Yet the next moment you can't trust him because you feel like he is hiding something from you. Domhnall Gleeson, was our window into this story, he mirrors what we as the audience feel from beginning to the end. The excitement, intrigue, doubt, fear, all these range of emotions are naturally conveyed by Gleeson. As a result you have great frame of reference to experience the character interactions. The biggest surprise for me though was Alicia Vikander. I don't think anyone recognizes her but she should be getting more attention after this role. She walks that delicate line between human and robot effortlessly. She feels like a real human but subtle things like the way her eyes moves, her head tilts, all that add to the almost human characteristics of Ava.
What makes Ex Machina unique is the scaled down scope of the film. This is not a bombastic action sci-fi, it is more a sci-fi thriller. A character driven story with brilliant performances that always makes you question the motives of everyone. I found myself repeatedly questioning who is the one actually being manipulated. Nathan, Caleb, Ava? There is a sense of unpredictability because up until the end I couldn't give you a straight answer. The excellent pacing with well written and executed dialog, had me hooked without ever feeling like a single moment was wasted. If there is one complaint, some may find the ending a little unsatisfying. Obviously I won't be ruining the ending for you. Still I'd like to argue that considering the tone and scale of the movie, having any other ending would have felt out of place.
If you are looking for a smart, thought provoking, character driven sci-fi, this is the perfect movie. The cast is of excellent caliber, with Alicia Vikander delivering an impressive A.I. performance. Additionally the gripping plot in an intimate setting helped intensify the thriller aspect of the film. Ex Machina is really worth the watch.
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