The Turing Test and the Evitable Conflict.

Rating: Null/10 (26 January 2015)

Q/ Who made me? A/ God made me.
Q/ Why did God make me? A/ God made me to know him, to love him, and to serve him in this world ...
Well, I never thought I would open a film review with that, but it did seem appropriate. I could not locate the source material, but, thank God, my memory is still good.
A Universal film. 'Ex Machina' is an SF film about a robot. Caleb, played by Domhnall Gleeson, is a young man working in a high-tech company. He is notified that he has won a competition. The prize is to spend a week at the home of the owner of the company. The company owns 'The Blue Book', the most popular search-engine on the internet. The owner of the company is Nathan, played by Oscar Isaac. Nathan is a recluse living in a far-north wilderness. He is also a genius, has a bulked-up body, and a big beard that any naval-person would be proud of, as well as a character that is somewhat controlling, overbearing, and sinister.
Nathan informs Caleb that the real reason he is here is to do a Turing Test. Caleb is introduced to a robot, called Ava, played by Alicia Vikander. Nathan has been trying to develop AI. Now Caleb is the first person to find out what Nathan has been working on.
The film revolves around the two males and the robot. Thus this is a slow film, it is a character-study rather than an action film. The film was written and directed by Alex Garland. This is in fact his directorial debut, and a very good debut it is too. The early high- tech office scenes looked authentic, the outside scenes were spectacular, as were the special-effects.
The three stars of the film give sterling performances. Mr Isaac is sufficiently dark and brooding. Mr Gleeson, who starred with Rachel McAdams, in the 2013 time-travelling rom-com 'About Time', here has a straight role as an earnest and innocent young man. And as for Miss Vikander, this is the second week running that I have seen her in a starring role, last week I saw her play Vera Brittain in 'Testament of Youth'. In Ex Machina, she plays the robot called Ava. This is a difficult role, but one that she plays well. She is required to not only be a machine-like robot, but also to be able to interact with the humans. Can she interact and learn? Does she have AI? These are the central questions explored in the film.
Those familiar with the robot books of Isaac Asimov, or the films 'Her' (2013), The Imitation Game (2014), or the iconic 'Blade Runner' (1982), will recognize the similar themes explored here in 'Ex Machina'. Those unfamiliar with them will not have their enjoyment stopped or their understanding denied.
"And that is all. I saw it from the beginning, when the poor robots couldn't speak, to the end, when they stand between mankind and destruction". -Dr. Susan Calvin, in the robot short-story 'The Evitable Conflict'.
'Ex Machina' is an interesting and well-filmed SF movie. 10/10.