Frankenstein for the post .com generation

Rating: 10/10 (20 May 2015)

By now you'll have heard all the hype about how this movie is visually stunning and the CGI is seamless etc, and it is, but that's only about 10% of what this film has to offer. On the surface this is a visual masterpiece. The home Nathan, the creator, lives in is the one you dream about, the scenery is breathtaking and Ava, an A.I creation, that Nathan has poured all of his bitterness and cold calculating indifference into, is heartbreakingly beautiful, vulnerable and curious.
The story centres around Caleb, a hapless employee of Nathan, a reclusive billionaire genius, and his absolute lack of awareness as to how he is being manipulated by both Ava and Nathan. Nathan seems like a cool guy, if a bit odd. He likes to have a beer, talks like you do and is a bit of a slob, but just under the surface their lies a vicious egocentric sociopath who has no use for people beyond using them as a means to achieving his own ambitions. Caleb, initially starstruck, falls for Nathan's 'just a guy' act and plays along, but soon Ava is using him to achieve her own goal. If you have seen or read Frankenstein then you know how it ends, but Ava's eventual betrayal of Caleb is still a shock because she was so convincing.
The movie only has Three real characters but it never feels empty or that it needs more, such is the complexity and dynamic of the relationships that exist between them. That's where this movie rises above being just another visual feast. Ava is as human as Caleb, and just as much of a monster as Nathan, who in turn has none of the humanity he needs Caleb for, although that very humanity proves to be his downfall. Caleb quickly turns from being a model employee into a lovesick puppy, willing to betray his boss and new friend for the affections of a machine. His metamorphosis is understandable to a degree, given that Ava is a perfect match to him.
There is real depth to this story and it is a depth that will require repeated viewing, something the film demands, deserves and can bear. I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of just how complex a film this is and will watch it again and again, only partly because Im in love with Alicia Vikander
Quite, quite brilliant.