Ex Machina (2015) (Published by Forge Press)

Original publication here

Known for his role as writer and producer of films such as Never Let Me Go, and 28 Days Later, Alex Garland steps into the director’s seat for the first time with his latest film Ex Machina.

26 year old programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) wins a competition in which the prize is to spend a week with the CEO of Bluebook, Caleb’s employer. After travelling for hours via helicopter Caleb reaches the remote residence where Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the founder of Bluebook lives. Nathan has created an artificial intelligence he calls Ava (Alicia Vikander), and he requires Caleb to decide whether Ava can potentially pass as human by means of a Turing test.

The film is shot within Nathan’s house for much of the running time, creating an intense sense of entrapment and isolation. Although the camera barely ventures outside the walls of the house, the film remains engaging throughout.

You don’t have to be a fan of sci-fi to enjoy Ex Machina. Although the plot bases itself around the idea of artificial intelligence, the way the film builds suspense and shrouds itself in mystery also allows it to work as a thriller, captivating audiences from the start.

As soon as the film begins the audience is unaware of exactly what is happening, Dramatic irony is not something that the film uses, leaving audience members in the dark. It is only until the film reaches its conclusion that much is revealed, shedding light on the mysterious events.

The cinematography is both haunting and captivating, paired with the striking sounds of the film to form a constant level of uneasiness. The film’s strongest point certainly lies within the unsettled encounters between characters, which would not have been so easily achieved if it were not for such strong performances from Isaac and Gleeson.

However, it is Vikander’s performance as Ava that steals the show. Her interactions with Caleb are always met with a certain unsettled air, and it is because of this that they are some of the most mesmerising scenes.

The sheer intelligence of the film is highly impressive, and raises questions about what it is to be considered human. Sci-fi can often seem too fantastical to believe what we see on screens, but Ex Machina presents a believable version of what we might imagine artificial intelligence to be like some day in the future.

It is difficult not to envision where the film is heading, as the film seems to toy with various possibilities of an ending, only for it to land upon one nobody could have predicted. The ending may not satisfy everyone, but it certainly strays from predictability, which is often hard to achieve.

Ex Machina feels like the work of someone who has mastered the art of cinema, which is why it is all the more impressive that this is the first time Garland has taken on the role of director.

The film not only presents us with ideas of advanced technology, but also forces us to question human existence.

8/10