Ex Machina

29 February 2016

Ex Machina 2015

• Director: Alex Garland
• Based on book: no.
• Cast: Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Sonoya Mizuno
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Alicia Vikander – Testament of Youth
• Domhnall Gleeson –About Time, Star Wars the Force Awakens, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1and 2, True Grit, Never Let Me Go
• Oscar Isaac – Inside Llewyn Davis, Star Wars the Force Awakens, Robin Hood
• Why? Alicia Vikander, sci-fi
• Seen:  26 February 2016      

       What a change from Testament of Youth for Vikander. And for Ron Weasley’s oldest brother. And I didn’t even recognise Llewyn Davis until I read the credits on the DVD box.

       Computer geek Caleb (Gleeson) is recruited into participating in an AI experiment in an isolated ultra-modern research centre in a mountain wilderness under the leadership of creepy Nathan (Isaac). Caleb is essentially a prisoner as he has signed away his freedom. His job is to test the AI Ava (Vikander) to see how convincingly human she is.

       In a slow deliberate pace with banal and cryptic dialog an intrigue of love, sexuality, genius, oppression and manipulation between humans and AIs becomes a growing nightmare for Caleb. He thinks he knows what he’s doing but things are not what they seem.

       With this trio of actors it has to be a strong film. And it is. It’s an intelligent, provocative, beautiful and complex thriller. And it’s another film that is lifted from the very good to the even better by the cast.

4 ½ * of 5

PS And Vikander won her Oscar. Congratulations!