Ex Machina Review

Rating: 8/10 (24 January 2015)

Full review can be read here: http://glowingscreens.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/ex-machina-directed-by- alex-garland.html
Sometimes, living in the UK is a blessing. Over in the US they are bombarded with the bottom of the pile in regard to film in January, whereas we get some of the best films out. Both Whiplash (My favourite of 2014) and Ex Machina have joined the club of films that could save January.
Ex Machina is what Blade Runner and 2001: A Space Odyssey set out to do many years before. Ex Machina poses challenging philosophical questions amidst an incredibly gripping story due to a gripping general aesthetic, sci-fi themes and engaging soundtrack.
Ex Machina follows the story of Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a talented programmer employed by the worlds largest search engine company, BlueBook. Seemingly by luck, Caleb wins a competition to visit the companies reclusive CEO, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), in his remote retreat in the Alaskan wilderness. But when he gets there, it soon becomes clear that the visit is far more than a social visit. Caleb is recruited by Nathan to perform a pseudo Turing test upon his new creation, Ava (Alicia Vikander) to try and conclude whether her AI is the most advanced the world had ever seen.
To say more would simply spoil the multiple twists and turns the story takes as the Director, Alex Garland, guides us through an increasingly complex story and an ever uneasy atmosphere. What is most interesting about the structure of the film is that once it hits it's swing, the film seamlessly transitions between interview sessions between Caleb and Eva and philosophical conversations between Caleb and Nathan. What could have easily found itself soaked in pretentious dialogue becomes incredibly engaging through the use of expertly written dialogue, making every conversation sound realistic and plausible.
Before I divert any more, I should be 100% clear. Ava is the star of the show. Even though I had seen countless images of her before I saw the film, the first look at her is stunning, as if you are seeing it through Caleb's eyes. She envelops the shadows, slender, with only her blue lights whirring in her mid riff making her visible. This expert use of lighting is used frequently throughout, most commonly with the common (although somewhat forced) power failures the building undergoes every so often, drenching the scenery in a blood red light, making everything seem sinister.
Gleeson and Isaac give remarkable performances, and when they chat in-between interviews with Ava, their opposite personalities, an analytical mind versus a free flowing one, their performances truly shine. However, they pale in comparison to Vikander. Every move she makes is succinctly nuanced in such a way that it is almost human. She stoops to grab. Her movements are just slightly too rigid, permeating the illusion of humanity. Ava as a character is also inherently sexual which the film plays with as it delves into its final act. An audience member at one point remarked, "She's so cute". This I believe is the triumph of the performance. We are put under no illusion that she is not human, but it is difficult not to feel emotions towards her. Ava is almost more human than any of the other characters in the film.
As there is very little action within the film, writing is absolutely key. Alex Garland has a hell of a track record, with two of my favourite films, 28 Days Later and Sunshine under his belt, and he doesn't disappoint. Although the film is remarkably intelligent, the use of well researched thought experiments help the audience understand the complex nature of the films themes in the most simple ways. In one particularly memorable scene, the colour palette completely switches and the dialogue is represented via vivid nature shots.
The film has very few flaws, but one of which is the pacing during some scenes. Although the majority are never overly long or unneeded, there are several key scenes throughout the film that seems to drag on just a little too long, losing the audiences attention.
This film deserves to be watched. I know for a fact that it will not be watched enough and simply passed on as another, "Too deep for it's own good" kind of film, but do not make this mistake. Despite its few flaws, Ex Machina is a triumph of philosophical pondering in film alongside a gripping, twisting, psychological thriller where everyone is being manipulated and the audience can trust no one.