Review of Ex Machina (2015) by Thequietgamer — 08 Sep 2018

I was left a little disappointed by the ending. For all of it's expertly crafted tension this game of manipulation turned out exactly how I thought it would. Which is to say that when all is said and done Ex Machina isn't all that different from the countless other films out there with similar premises. The ride up to that point is still thrilling however, with strong themes and three exciting performances that will give you at least a little bit of doubt in regards to who can be trusted.

The ominous soundtrack and the fact that I already knew that things weren't what they seemed filled me with unease. This is something Alex Garland made excellent use of to create a very unnerving atmosphere and reveals that come off as even more twisted than they already would have. For me this was freakier than most of the horror films I've watched. Of course the concept of playing mind games with AI already deeply disturbs me. That's not to take away from the performances of Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander though. Those two are key reasons things feel so dangerous.

The back-and-forth pull between which of their characters the protagonist would be better off trusting hinges on the question of what it means to actually be human. Isaac's character may be a little unhinged, but he is another person so it stands to reason that while he is manipulating his house guest in some way, he's probably not a real threat. Ava on the other hand is an inhuman entity unlike anything else Gleeson's character would have previously encountered. We don't know if she feels empathy enough to not slaughter anyone she comes in contact with if she were to be set free. She's clearly hasn't had the most desirable "life." That could very well have led to a hatred of humans. A lifeform she could view as inferior anyway. Vikander gives a suitably alien performance that provides Ava with a certain disconnection from her flesh and blood counterparts. Is she using her sexuality to manipulate a lonely and naïve individual, or is it possible for her to actually feel something more than a need to deceive?

Ex Machina is another movie about the dangers of playing God. It's really good at getting you to ask questions. Certain twists and the ending itself are easy to predict. Meaning that it doesn't deviate too much from convention story-wise. Yet it's never robbed of atmosphere or tension so this is still a very effective thriller. It's also an intelligent piece of science fiction. One with a sexual angle that stems from the very human condition of never wanting to be alone and belief that if we aren't screwing, we aren't living. Alex Garland wasn't just satisfied with getting under our skin. He wanted to get inside our heads as well. And I, for one, think he succeeded rather marvelously. Managing to make something gorgeous in the process.

8.