In a year filled with robot movies, it's probably good for Ex Machina, a small budget sci-fi thriller, to come out ahead of the pack and leave its mark before both Chappie and Avengers: Age of Ultron make their big debuts later this year. But whilst it's clearly the smallest film of its type to be released this year, it's arguably the most ambitious in terms of scope and visual effects. Its trailers captivated audiences, and its two male lead are in the public eye as being part of the upcoming Stars Wars: The Force Awakens (which will likely feature robots too), but will all of this account for a strong film? Domhnall Gleeson stars as Caleb, a coder working for a Google-like corporation ran by Nathan (Oscar Isaac). When he wins a company lottery to meet the mysterious man and stay at his research facility for a week, he discovers he was brought along to be the human subject of a Turing Test - which was mentioned repeatedly in last year's The Imitation Game. The thing he's testing? Ava (Alicia Vikander), an artificial intelligence with human features but quite clearly a robot. Of course, Caleb is amazed by the notion of A.I and of Ava, but it's clear that something isn't quite right. But is the problem Ava, her creator or Caleb himself?
It may not be the most original notion that not all is as it seems - it's practically a necessity for films these days - but the way it's done in Ex Machina is really well. For a majority of the film, you expect it to be a certain character, until the carpet is pulled from under your feet and you don't know who to trust. The only snag is that to reach that point you do have to wait for about an hour for that to start, as before that it's a one-sided argument. Perhaps that's where there's some smart manipulation, but if so it's very well hidden. But when the third act and all its twists and turns do eventually turn up, it is a particularly strong area of the film. It won't hold up on repeat viewings, but for what it is on first viewing is thrilling.
That isn't to say those first two acts aren't engaging though, as it leaves ample time not only for the development of this storyline but also gives us an idea of what all three of these characters are like. Because of how minute the number of cast members are (any additional roles outside of the main three and Sonoya Mizuno are brief if anything) it leaves plenty of space for these characters to be understood by the audience, especially Gleeson as Caleb who guides us through this new world. Gleeson is strong in the lead role, even if his American accent needs some sprucing up, and his character is likable if not a little gullible. Isaac is arguably the both the darkest and the funniest character out of the trio as he keeps things very close to his chest whilst still being relatively lively - the highlight of the movie draws between his explanation of Ghostbusters and his hilarious dancing with Mizuno. The strongest performance has to go to Vikander as the ambiguous Ava, which is helped immensely by the incredible visual effects done on her body. Her movements and speech patterns really sell the idea that she is a robot, and at only one point does she not come across as such (although there is reason for it), but through that performance comes a strong character. Whilst she is visibly a robot - which Caleb question as to why undergo a Turing test if it's clear she's a robot - you question whether she does actually have the capacity to be human-like, which in turn helps sell this idea. And once that final act comes along, she's all the more interesting and intriguing.
As a first-time director, Alex Garland does do a pretty good job at presentation, often mimicking other filmmakers to create some wonderful shots. However, there is often an issue with the camera focus, as at times certain areas in the shots look unintentionally blurry which does pull you out of the film. Perhaps he needs a bit more practise before returning for another stab at it, but as a screenwriter he does do a great job. The real kings of the piece are the production team though; not only for the work on Ava's body, but also on the set pieces and locations chosen for the film. In that sense, it is great to look at and does bring this near-futuristic world into something realistic - almost in the same sense as last year's Her.
Ex Machina may feel like a long journey to get to the great third act, but it’s journey well-done. The screenplay is strong, the cast excellent and the overall look of the feature marvellous. The first hour does drag as it speeds through the process of Caleb getting there in order to get things started before screeching to a halt, but it doesn't stop this film from constantly entertaining. 7/10.
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