Ex Machina (2015)

pretend i put some hipster bullshit under here

I know a handful of people who mean feeling conflicted about a film tells how good the film actually is. However, this conflict isn't the typical disgust or horror that might come from a film that is brutal or any other apt reaction. It's more the 'one wonders if the director/writer thought that deeply about the subject manner they were dealing with'. Films about Artificial Intelligence are hardly a new breed, as technology is slowly turning towards that sphere whether we're picking up our fork pitches or tweeting happily about it. The director debut of Alex Garland who's previously written a lot of different scripts, often about the future in some twisted way or the other - 28 days later - Never let me go - Sunshine - Dredd - has an interesting first film.

Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) a young programmer wins a contest at his work and is suddenly flown over to the remote house of his boss Nathan (Oscar Isaac) to stay for a week. To Caleb's surprise the week isn't just about hanging about and drinking beer or peering in admiration at the technology clearly present in his boss' home. No, he's suddenly required to take part in a test to see (Turing test) whether or not Caleb's latest project is up to par. Of course the man has been building an AI - called Ava (Alicia Vikander) who Caleb has daily talks with. Unsurprisingly she strikes a cord within him and also tells him that Nathan isn't one to be trusted.

Caleb ends up being disgusted by his boss' treatment of Ava and a helper at his home. From that point surprising truths are about to be revealed.

The problem with the film isn't the style or the filming. All of that is well done and interesting. I love the world that Garland has created. I'm convinced minutes in, but the plot itself is quite see-through. I had zero expectations and hadn't even read up on the synopsis, yet I managed to crack it not far in. Then again films about AI tend to thread that typical path, and this one certainly did, but I do hope it's because of the message that is hidden in it.

Throughout the film we're introduced to Ava; she's clever, nice and bright. She's also quite literally a device for both the men to play with. For Caleb it's clear he sees himself as the romantic hero that intends to steal her away, and she'll be happy with him, etc. While Nathan sees himself using her to advance his name - to become a creator, to become a God, besides that she's just a piece of equipment. He doesn't see much value in her, and very little in anything else he creates from the look of it, sexualizing everything.

There are endless scenes of women with their kit off more or less, just underlining how he views them. It's like a social commentary on how women are viewed in society - either we're romantic interests or we are hyper sexualized beings, then again, that might not have been Garland's point. I confess I haven't read any interviews about the film, and I want to avoid them just out of the belief that if this was his intent then he did a fantastic job. The acting was wonderful, especially Vikander who held up against the men, and was convincing as the AI who wasn't human, yet at the cusp.

Clearly I've got to see A Royal Affair already.

7/10