X Machina Review

Rating: 9/10 (6 July 2015)

X Machina was a highly anticipated sci-fi horror film about a 26 year old computer coder, Caleb, who works for one of the worlds largest internet companies. He wins a company contest and is given a one week vacation to a mountainous retreat with the owner of the company, Nathan. When Caleb arrives he is told that he has been selected to take place in an experiment dealing with one of the worlds first artificial intelligences. This experiment requires him to test and evaluate a human like robot with artificial intelligence named Ava. What Caleb doesn't know is that there is a twist the experiment! Nathan has purposely made Ava's life undesirable at the retreat and also threatens to wipe her memory clean. Thus, Nathan has set the stage to test how clever Ava will be, when it comes to using her intelligence, sexuality and imagination to free herself through her only possible escape - Caleb. Will Caleb be able to see through the deception? Has Nathan thought his experiment all the way through? Or is Ava's intelligence far greater than either of the two men could have imagined? This was one of the best movies I have seen in a while. It tries to tackle the issues between human limitations and A.I. advancements, along with the complications that result from the two. The story line kept me engaged from beginning to end with multiple plot twists and constant suspense. There were really only three characters in the movie - Caleb, Nathan and Ava - who's actors did an excellent job at making their roles seem eerily realistic. The dialogue between the three main characters was really well thought out and the actors were well chosen, which gave the movie a believable atmosphere. All three of the main characters changed throughout the film. Caleb's character begins to change when he develops feelings for Ava. Ava convinces Caleb that she is in love with him and that they should run away together. Caleb believes her and devises an escape plan. Nathan's character changes once the experiment is over. He admits to Caleb that Ava doesn't actually have strong feelings towards him and that she was just manipulating him in order to escape. Ava changes right when she is set free. Caleb figured Nathan was watching him devise an escape plan with Ava, so he rerouted the security codes the day before Nathan was prepared. This opened all the doors and released Ava. Nathan tried to stop her but she killed him and locked Caleb in a room. The final seen is Ava walking out into a crowded street, dressed as a woman blending in seamlessly with the human population.
I thought the acting was excellent. I didn't recognize any of the main actors from other films, which I like because I couldn't typecast them in the beginning of the movie. The setting took place at a secluded mountainous resort, which I thought was a perfect setting - they are dealing with artificial intelligence, the opposite of nature, right in the heart of a natural environment. The actors did not where costumes, they whore casual/contemporary clothes, placing the time of the setting around the present/near future. The cinematography was also really good. There were a lot of camera angles from characters POV as well as hidden cameras throughout the house. The sound and lighting kept me engaged but wasn't overdone.