What will happen to me if I fail your test?

Rating: 8/10 (17 May 2015)

Ex Machina is a film about a young coder named Caleb who is apparently randomly selected in a staff lottery to visit the estate of the CEO of his company, Nathan. There he signs a non-disclosure agreement, and Nathan reveals that he has successfully created a functional AI. Caleb is to be the human component in a "Turing Test", in which one speaks with the AI, and if they cannot tell they are speaking to a machine, then it is a true AI. Caleb engages in a series of sessions with Ava (the AI robot), while Nathan watches on camera and takes notes. Over the course of the film, Caleb begins suspect Nathan isn't quite who he says he is, and makes disturbing discoveries about Nathan and his facility along the way.
Although this film does seem to have mostly positive reviews, many still found it "dumb", or "boring", or "slow". It's definitely not a film for everyone, and it does move at a slower pace, but it is more of an intellectual piece, and makes you stop and think about some of the themes such as the nature of consciousness, and so on (sorry kids, no Baysplosions here). It is also a film in which you really need to be in the right mood/state of mind to enjoy it properly. I found it to be an interesting and thought provoking piece, as well as the excellent performances by Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac. Alicia Vikander also did a very good job in her role, and was very convincing as the robot. The ending was not quite what I expected, and it's not exactly your typical "happy" ending, but upon reflection it actually made a lot of sense in the context of the film's events. The film does contain some graphic female nudity (oh no, not nudity), but I felt it was justified, and again made sense in the context of the film's events.
So if you're looking for something different, something that will make you think, and you're a fan of Oscar Isaac, I recommend this film. Just don't expect a lot of action, or exciting sequences. Do not listen to the low reviews of this film, as they are nothing short of childish, and profoundly immature. If you don't think you're into this sort of film, you should probably avoid it, but personally I highly recommend at least one viewing. I rate Ex Machina an 8/10.