Ex Machina, is a story of power, control, repression. The vision of one man, Nathan, with the want to control everything he creates. In steps the subject, a young programmer called Caleb, there to participate in this experiment, to test the human qualities of the AI, named Ava, that Nathan has created.
Written by Elliot Lines
With very little characters, this manages to set them all up very well and build on these characters so you really get a sense of their motives. Because of the very little amount of characters, only 4, it is easy to understand the connection made between them, whether its between Nathan and Caleb or Caleb and Ava, it is evident to see what kind of relationship they have. Oscar Isaac shines in this, the real standout performer, showing the affects that have taken their tole on this man who has basically isolated himself.
Visually stunning throughout, this film manages to capture the essence of the underlying meaning perfectly. With a very clean, claustrophobic interior it shows the want to have control over what's inside, but with a massive contrast the outside is an open world, ready to be explored. This set design was well thought out, and a difficult thing to do due to being in one location.
This plot at times does feel very slow, but it works perfectly to really set the tone of the movie. Learning what's occurring with the characters in almost what feels like real time. The slow plot pays off though, with some great revelations and an ending that has an effective pay-off, even slightly surprising.
Bringing you close to these characters, Ex Machina throws you right in the middle of the story. Seeming slow at times, this only elevates the pay-off at the end of this Sci-fi drama, managing to keep you engaged throughout.
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