Ex-Machina Review (Observer Archive from April 27, 2015)
Artificial intelligence is a subject that lends itself to constant interpretations in film. Should we fear the idea they may become smarter than us, almost as if they’re the next step in evolution? This is one of the many questions that Alex Garland’s Ex-Machina answers, in a hypothetical and entertaining form. Ex-Machina stars Domhnall Gleeson as Caleb, a computer programmer working for the fictional search engine Bluebook. He wins a chance to visit his reclusive boss and founder of Bluebook Nathan, played by Oscar Isaac. When he arrives at his remote estate, Nathan tells him he was chosen to undergo a Turing Test, essentially looking for Artificial Intelligence in the female android named Ava, played by Alicia Vikander. During their conversations, Caleb becomes fascinated with Ava’s capacity of learning and surprising humanity when sharing his ...