A True Thriller

Rating: 7/10 (16 June 2020)

Ex Machina had me constantly wondering, "who should I be rooting for?" The story skillfully weaves together a narrative that has you wondering who the antagonist is until the very end, upholding a sense of suspense and looming that consistently build through the seven research sessions with Ava. Despite a small cast and limited setting, theres a meticulousness and mystery to each component. On a thematic level, the exploration of Artificial Intelligence and its capabilities is excellently posed and stripped down (quite literally) for viewers to wonder if they too would have been trapped and left behind by a deceptive Ava. This goes in contrast with one part of the viewer that has been rooting for Ava all along. Strong 7 to a light 8. Also, masterful use of non-sequitur with that disco dancing scene, a bit that made me laugh for its abrupt absurdity given the context.