It's a film that's hard to enjoy - but it will nevertheless go down as one of the genre's 'smarter' films

Rating: 7/10 (30 April 2015)

In the not too distant future, a talented programmer working for the world's top search engine wins a once-in-a-lifetime-opportunity to carry out some tests on an advanced android. As the sessions progress, things start to reveal that not all is what it seems...
Alex Garland's directorial debut is a fascinating one. After penning such films as '28 Days Later' and 'Dredd', Garland takes a drastic turn in style with this smartly-written and intensely-focused sci-fi thriller. 'Ex Machina' offers insights to some of the biggest issues regarding A.I. today - and does so in a manner that doesn't insult the audiences' intelligence.
If there was something negative that I have to point out about this film, it would be the fact that I could not connect with any of the characters. The cast gives fine performances, but there's something about the way their characters are written that doesn't really make an emotional impact on the audience. At times, I even thought that Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) was on the edge of neurosis.
Despite that being said, Alicia Vikander gives an outstanding performance as Ava. She not only plays an android who goes through several gradations of human development at an accelerated pace with surprising heft, but also manages to harbour two distinct personalities without any trouble. Expect Vikander to be nominated for awards.
VERDICT: This is not an action movie - nor is it a horror movie. Unless you're a HUGE fan of movies dealing with A.I., you will most likely be left scratching your head wondering why you paid the full price of a movie ticket just to see this. If you're TRULY curious (but not a fan of these sorts of films), RENT IT.