Commentary by Collin Stroup
Ex Machina is a simple story, but that doesn’t mean it’s simplistic. With only three main cast members and one location, this isn’t the big budget, explosive sci-fi film we get each summer, but rather an intimate study on humanity, technology and life. It’ll crawl under your skin and into your brain leaving you to ponder over it and man, is there a lot to think about.
The story follows Caleb (Domhall Gleeson) who wins a contest to spend a week at his reclusive boss Nathan’s (Oscar Isaac) estate. Upon arriving he finds that he is there to help test Ava (Alicia Vikander), the world’s first artificial intelligence, to see if she could pass as a human. This really is one of those movies that the less you know going in, the better so avoid reading too much about the film if you can.
First time director Alex Garland (screenwriter for 28 Days Later, Sunshine) strikes an excellent balance between entertainment, humor and thrills with a tightly written script and minimalistic direction. The film is intelligent with its discussions about science, ethics, technology and philosophy, remaining accessible and knowing when to answer the questions it asks and leave it to the audience. It truly shines through though with the depth of its characters, leaving you feeling more like a voyeur watching something unfold rather than a moviegoer.
Ex Machina is birthed from a long line of classic monster tales, mad scientists and stories of Greek gods and man, but presents it in an updated and chilling experience. It’s lovely, tragic and reflective of humanity and the greatness we can achieve and the consequences we might face. Ex Machina is a modern day Frankenstein and a future classic.
