Great Concept, Frustrating Execution

Rating: 6/10 (17 August 2015)

It's really frustrating to write a somewhat negative review of this movie, because it did so many things so well. But ultimately, I walked away from it both frustrated and disappointed, so it's hard to recommend this movie to anyone but sci-fi lovers, of which I am not. To be honest, I really only watched this because of the incredible reviews it was getting, so to say that I was let down is an understatement.
The concept of artificial intelligence is one that has intrigued me quite a bit lately, so I thought this movie might be an appropriate introduction to the subject. In that sense, the film is successful, exploring many scientific and ethical questions surrounding the construction, operation, risks, and benefits of remarkably sophisticated humanoid robots. Unfortunately, the story just doesn't hold up, especially near the end.
There are some very interesting and suspenseful scenes in the first half of the movie, and what I love most is the fact that the film creates genuine tension by what is happening, not via cheap scares or tons of special effects being thrown in your face. The atmosphere is appropriately ominous, crafted marvelously with excellent cinematography, good acting, and a fine musical score.
But sadly, everything just crumbles in the final third of the film. The story becomes more and more predictable, and although there are some interesting twists, everything ultimately builds into a "final battle" of sorts that is surprisingly graphic and unsettling, as well as overly simplistic for the film's overall sophistication. And the ending is the worst of all: it's both incomplete and extremely depressing.
I really wanted to like this movie, because it embodies so many things I look for: a focus on story over action, careful attention to detail, and an intriguing and thought-provoking concept. This is not a bad film, and I can see why people who can get past some pretty glaring plot issues liked it. But given the widespread praise for this film, this seems to be what is considered top-notch sci-fi. If that's the case, I don't think I'll be too interested in the genre any time soon.