Movie Review: Ex Machina (2015)

To be honest, the only impression I had going into this was "Oh, look, a robot chick on the poster."  I really had no idea what this was even going to be about and I think that worked in my favor.  Did you see 'Transcendence' or 'A.I.?'  Well, it's nothing like those.

Because there are only a few characters in the whole film,  there's a very personal setting as opposed to watching an ensemble cast.  Do you remember how claustrophobic and intense 'Hard Candy' and 'Rear Window' were?  This had that tone in the best way.

The reason you keep watching is simple.  Is the robot actually artificially intelligent?  Can she have new thoughts?  That's the driving force of the movie and the question you simply must find out!

The main character, Caleb, played by the lovable Domnhall Gleeson (About Time, Harry Potter, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) is so clearly clever and very relatable.  He's a hero you want to root for.  His employer, Nathan, played by Oscar Isaac (Sucker Punch, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, X-Men: Apocalypse) is by contrast, immediately suspicious and maybe even sinister.

MEMORABLE SCENE:
Definitely the bathroom scene featuring Caleb.  I can't say anything else about it without giving something away.  I was on the edge of my seat and you could damn near taste the paranoia.  Nicely done.

QUOTE:
Ava: "Isn't it strange, to create something that hates you?"

RATING:
If we're still being honest, this falls into that category of 'loved it' or 'hated it.'  Personally, this was the best A.I. movie I've seen in ages.  Freakin' brava and all that.  I give it 8 out of 10.  It made me immediately want to re-watch 'Blade Runner.'



EXTRAS:
Here's a still of the two main actors from the movie 'Anna Karenina' (2012), which they'd previously starred in together because why not?