Compelling but flawed

Rating: 8/10 (28 April 2015)

It has been years since a film affected me as deeply as this one. Contrary to some of the other reviewers, I did care about the characters --- two of them, anyway --- and found myself hoping for a satisfying resolution, if not a happy ending. I got neither. Instead I got an ambiguous conclusion that may --- or may not --- be a set up for a sequel. My biggest problem, though, was not the ending but the abrupt change in the character of the reclusive genius, creator of Ava and (as we learn halfway through) many other earlier models. Although he --- and the movie --- professes to be only interested in their A.I., it soon becomes apparent that his main interest lies further down. If he wanted to create sex slaves, he could have done so much more easily, cheaply and SAFELY by going the Stepford Wives route; i.e., NOT endowing them with A.I. For someone so brilliant to make such a stupid decision undercuts the whole point of the film. Other reviewers have compared him to Dr. Frankenstein. I think he is more akin to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.