Sleek, understated and thought provoking

Rating: 9/10 (8 March 2020)

Ex Machina is very thought provoking without being too heavy handed, posing some interesting questions about the nature of consciousness, the future of AI., and the morality and responsibility that is closely tied up with that.
What struck me most about Ex Machina was how understated it was. Very minimal in terms of cast, but very effective and slick in it's cinematography and seamless CG effects. The line between the real and artificial was expertly blurred.
Throughout the film I found myself conflicted as to whether I was on the side of Nathan or not. Undeniably he was creepy and narcissistic, but the film did a stellar job of painting the AI. creations as autonomous being, thus making us dislike Nathan for how he treats them.
Ultimately Ava and her predecessors were just extremely advanced computer programs yet (much like with Caleb) we come to identify more with them and eventually root for Ava's escape (perhaps... I'm still on the fence about this). This really comes down to whether you believe that Ava does have consciousness.
All of the evidence would certainly point to this, in the way that she was able to scheme for her escape and emotionally manipulate a human for her own gain. This is further demonstrated following her escape. Caleb references earlier in the film an AI. test - Mary in a black and white room. The difference between a human and an AI. being the emotional response to colour. Upon escaping into the forest, there appears to be genuine emotion on Ava's face, and with nobody around for her to fool this can only be genuine.
This to me is why Ex Machina is a very strong film, because it presents a complex and intriguing idea in a nuanced and intelligent way.
The performances in this film were also incredible. Alicia Vikander produced an uncanny valley performance, where I was never quite sure whether she was acting as a human, or acting as an android pretending to be human. This added a subtle but much appreciated element to her performance.
Ex Machina produced a minimalist, intelligent and engaging take on the future of our relationship with AI.