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Genre
Director
Country
Cast
Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac, Sonoya Mizuno, Symara A. Templeman, Elina Alminas, Gana Bayarsaikhan, Tiffany Pisani, Claire Selby
Storyline
A young programmer, Caleb, (Domhnall Gleeson) is selected to participate in a breakthrough experiment in artificial intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a breathtaking female A.I. (Alicia Vikander).
Opinion
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Defined by many the Sci-Fi film of the year, I had great expectations for this title, but I got let down a little. Visually stunning, Ex Machina presents some interesting questions about Artificial Intelligence, male-female relationships, and human sexuality, and it had great potential, but it failed to engage me completely.
The writing is not that smart as it may look, and it feels more appropriate to thirteen year olds, although few of them will actually get to see the film because of the R rating. The film just has too much frontal female nudity, images created for the male gaze only. You cannot even open the closet’s open without seeing naked robots.
I got to admit, I was waiting for a twist that didn't come – it would have been good if Caleb turned out to be a robot, and that he was the one being tested. The end is completely spoiled, and the suspense killed by Nathan asking Caleb if he really thought Ava liked him.
Also, there are some logic issues. First of all, how come a genius like Nathan uses a plastic card as a security measure, when said card can be easily stolen? Being his estate hours from anything, where did he find the sashimi? If Ava is Nathan's latest model, why is she exposing her circuits? And how does Asian skin match Ava's? And at last but not least, why isn't the helicopter pilot suspicious at all? I mean, he picks up a beautiful women instead of the nerd he was supposed to.
At least, the acting is good. Alicia Vikander nails her role. Being a robot, she has to act like a wooden creature, and she does a great job. Domhnall Gleeson well-plays Caleb, role that partially recalls Gleeson's Jon in "Frank". Oscar Isaac was barely decent.
Quotes
Nathan: One day the AIs are going to look back on us the same way we look at fossil skeletons on the plains of Africa. An upright ape living in dust with crude language and tools, all set for extinction.
Great review! I was on the same boat of hoping Caleb was the robot and when the final plot twist did reveal itself I was a little let down. A lot of the nudity was forced I'll agree there. Overall this was a pretty solid science-fiction film. It almost seems like the genre has been so saturated with special-effects and weak scripting that people are dying for the next 'great' sci-fi film... A+ dance scene though!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I gotta say the dance scene was pretty awesome.
DeleteI liked this one a lot more then you did. It was my favorite film of 2015. I found this questions it raises about artificial intelligence to be compelling. In my opinion Nathan gave Ava a challenge to escape using anything she could. This includes sexuality, manipulation, compassion. What she does to Caleb is frightening and I hope we get a follow up with this character a few years later Why would the pilot be suspicious. He has no idea of how long Caleb is going to be working at this esate. He probably just thought he was picking up someone else. Plus how do we even know it's the same pilot from before.
ReplyDeleteI know, it raises some interesting questions but it didn't fully engage me. I really wanted to like it though.
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