Artificial Intelligence is insanely fun for moviemakers to study, and actors to attempt. Playing a not-quite person imitating humanity and studying societal implications is too juicy of a topic to pass up. Ex Machina strips away the explosive special effects opportunities for a more emotional character study of artificial intelligence. Plus it stars Star Wars actors. OMG!!
Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) is a coder who wins the chance of a lifetime. He flies to spend a few weeks with reclusive genius Nathan (Oscar Isaac), the founder of Caleb’s company. Nathan tasks Caleb for getting to know Ava (Alicia Vikander), an artificially intelligent being of Nathan’s creation. Ava has never met anyone else, so she is as excited as Caleb to meet someone different. As the Caleb/Ava relationship grows, we learn that Ava may be hiding more than she is letting on about her purpose and Nathan’s true motives.
This movie is more psychological thriller than technology study. Each conversation Caleb has between Ava and Nathan reveals new information about the dynamic between everyone involved. The status quo gets reset ever 5 minutes or so, unbalancing Caleb, and in turn, the audience since he’s the surrogate. The story also is a study of what makes someone human. Is it sexuality? Simple emotion? Critical thought? Manipulation? Dreams? Each character has to struggle with these questions when talking to each other. As the story builds to a climax, the audience realizes what is really going on, and how Ex Machina successfully uses its story to stress its themes.
The success of Ex Machina relies on its 3 headed acting monster. Star Wars hangs heavily over the story, as Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac were both cast in the movie. Gleeson plays a pretty solid everyman thrown into an intellectual lion’s den. Gleeson’s wonder and growing understanding connects with the audience very well, as well as his growing agency as he figures out what is going on. Oscar Isaac is even better, painting a great picture of a self-important artistic recluse. Isaac makes Nathan mentally collected but emotionally cold and unhinged, meaning he could snap at any moment. The real star here is Swedish newcomer Alicia Vikander. New to Hollywood, Vikander acts like a seasoned pro. Ava is the right mixture of mystery, emotional honesty, and physical curiosity. Vikander makes you never quite sure why Ava does what she does until the very end, a testament to the actress’s prowess in front of the camera.
Sci-Fi more recently has resorted to pixie sticks: all sugar, no substance. Ex Machina is a refined meal of questions about artificial intelligence and its role in society in the future. As a side note: JJ Abrams, is it too late to get Alicia Vikander in Star Wars? She already knows two of your stars super well.