Very Engaging

Rating: 7/10 (21 July 2015)

We see Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) a programmer, winning a competition within the company he works for and spending a week at boss Nathan's (Oscar Isaac) remote hideaway. Caleb is selected to interact with Ava (Alicia Vikander) a AI (Artificial Intelligence) Robot to see if Ava can interact successfully with a human. Of course Caleb is impressed and during his sessions with Ava we see him becoming infatuated with Ava and we also see Ava becoming infatuated with Caleb. Can we call this puppy love? The dialogues between Caleb and Ava are precious and we find ourselves falling in love with Ava too. Ava is truly beautiful and this goes a long way to our feeling like this. Hey, it can't be helped.
In all the conversations between Nathan and Caleb there is no mention of God. Caleb looks at Nathan as a god of sorts for what he has created. We need to know Nathan's end game and that is why we are fully engaged in all conversations between Caleb and Nathan, and Caleb and Ava. And as we go the tension goes up all around. Listen carefully.
Many dialogues between Caleb and Nathan talk about Ava's awareness. How aware is Ava about her surroundings and does she have feelings for Caleb or is she using Caleb so she can escape? Nathan brings this possibility up to Caleb who is now starting to become confused.
In one of the Ava sessions there is a blackout of all power in the complex and this is when Ava tells Caleb not to trust Nathan because he lies about everything. Whaaaat? Now Caleb is on Team Ava and wants to help her. Nathan seems oblivious to all this, but is he really? Keep an eye.
Of course there are some twists in here (more than one?) Yes, more than one. One of them has to do with Nathan's assistant Kyoko (Sonoya Mizuno) and that causes Caleb to do something to insure that he is not an AI Robot. Yes, Nathan gets into Caleb's head from time to time. Listen carefully to all dialogues.
It wouldn't be fair to mention some of the other twists as they would give a lot away. The ending is somewhat logical but is also somewhat a surprise. Then, there is the tendency to ask oneself, "What now?"
There is a movement afoot to convince all of us that, in time, we will be working for Robots. The Robots will repair themselves, maintain themselves and make new Robots and all the while they will be governing us. The thinking being that the Robots will, in time, see how inefficient we are and take over. Let me say categorically this will not happen. It will never happen. This is all in the minds of Science Fiction Writers who think too much outside the box. In the meantime we get to see movies having to do with AI (Artificial Intelligence) and think: Hmmmmit could happen. No it cannot.
Okay, truth be told: I do have a Robot. It's called a toaster. HA! (7/10)
Violence: Yes. Sex: Yes, one time. Nudity: Yes, a lot near the end. Language: Yes, some not much.