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Ever since we invented it, man has always tried to understand technology. For as long as we have lived, man has always tried to define humanity. And when the age of cinema came around, man has been telling the story of the war between these two elements. It is an intriguing, complex and wrought relationship: man and technology, after all. And comprehending just how far we can push computers, equipment and science will draw the audiences in. 2001: A Space Odyssey, Her, I Robot, A.I and Bicentennial Man have all wondered how we can replicate our thoughts, memories and feelings and blur the boundaries of man and machine, with varying levels of success. Alex Garland, in his directorial debut, has stunningly toyed with this premise in the excellent Ex_Machina.
Garland has dealt with the semantics of humanity consciously unpicking themselves; especially in the face of extreme reasons that force the mind to go into breakdown, literally. For example, in 28 Days Later, his most acclaimed writing work, the author gave post-apocalyptica its true gritty unnerving edge and stripped away most morals for pursuit of survival. Here in Ex_Machina, though condensed into a smaller scale (three people in an isolated area), it is man’s compulsion to surive, then triumph and exceed playing God that tears away at the society around the three, (if you were to conclude that Ava was a perfect replication of consciousness, that is). It’s this keen eye on how the development of technology and where it come from that immediately fuels engagement.
What furthers this, adding an absorbing level of terror to the film is how easily thoughts, emotions and even sexuality can be replicated within a machine. As Nathan and Caleb talk, which is in abundance here but highly absorbing to watch, the inner workings of man’s fleshy machine is brutally uncovered. With each new function that Nathan divulges about Ava questions the idea of free will and pre-programming, conflicting ideas of nature verses nurture and child verses parent. How much autonomy do we really have? It is this question alone that we’ve been trying to figure out. And within the film, the answers starkly laid out like a computer on a slab but not entirely put together.
As an extension of this, Caleb is played as the Knight in shining armour who becomes increasingly involved with Ava the more he knows here Though the trickery isn’t revealed until the final half, his insistence on saving her is lavishly abused by both Nathan and Ava. In fact, the lawful good element in Caleb is his downfall and, though it may seem as though females are treated lesser by Ex_Machina, it is the men who are subjected to the audiences gaze and scorn. It’s Garland’s writing and his direction that threads all the elements together without overkilling the ideas. Ex_Machina’s plot is delicately handled and therefore, incredibly and in ways, poetically enthralling.
So thank the cast for their abilities to handle this thick script and enhance it with realism through their acting. Domnhall Gleeson, an I’m With Geek favourite, deftly wraps his tongue around the American twang and provokingly gives us that necessary protagonist role. Gleeson’s Caleb conveys different levels of amazement and fright all at the same time. His progression with Ava as he slowly falls in love with her conflicts with his claustrophobic horror and unease of Nathan; making paranoia sink in to the point where he questions everything that he knows and not just the week inside Nathan’s lair. Gleeson is able to make Caleb seem naïve but understandable while gifting the character with likeability, humour and a dash of misogyny (as previously aforementioned).
However, this films truly superb star is Alicia Vikander. Though, before we begin on her performance, we must mention how astonishing the special effects were. This visual body of machine is not only delectable to watch but has noises as enticing and exquisite. Stripping away Vikander’s skin and bones, replacing it with machinery, could’ve posed difficulties. Particularly with allowing Ava to seem tangible. The SFX are visionary and unique as the synapses relay around Ava. The team behind the aesthetics have created a wonder. This is helped by Vikander’s ability to, ha ha, flesh out Ava. She is extremely nuanced, liaising the movements between robotic stiffness and fluidity, making her exquisite to watch. The Swedish actress is endearing and emotive enough to allow you to believe that Ava could really have a spiritual heartbeat and soul. You could watch Vikander’s Ava all day, as she moves around the room or talks to Caleb. The actress is that sublime here.
It’s not even the end of January and already Ex_Machina has romped into first place for film of the year. After all, there has to be a film of true excellence to trump this highly engaging and original film. Garland is victorious in establishing himself as a revolutionary filmmaker, gifting cinema with this completely thrilling film that’ll take days to fully compute in your mind as you defrag the themes. Because Ex_Machina will have you questioning your own meat, bones and humanity.
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Ex_Machina is out 21st of January.