EX MACHINA

What would a replacement human race look like?

84/100

Original Release: 2014

Directed By: Alex Garland

Cast: Domhall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac, Alicia Vikander

Favourite Quote:

“One day the AIs are going to look back on us the same way we look at fossil skeletons on the plains of Africa. An upright ape living in dust with crude language and tools, all set for extinction.”

Favourite Shot:

One of science fiction's most popular (and overused) ideas is that the creation of artificial intelligence will end with humanity’s demise. That we will create something more intelligent and powerful than ourselves and will essentially be replaced by our own creation. Ex Machina inspires further thought, with the question: what if this has already happened?

Whilst examining these scientific ideas Garland also manages to explore the relationship between men and women through these characters. All three are using one another to get what they want. And every watch forces you to think about which one you should be rooting for and makes you wonder what the motives were behind each decision.

Were we perhaps a creation of some less intelligent beings and as time has withered away we have forgotten all about them and assumed our position as the dominant species? And perhaps now it is our fate for the same to happen to us? You could certainly just say that people already believe this theory in a more metaphorical sense with evolution. But it is very interesting to view it from this lens.

Alex Garland’s Ex Machina essentially wonders what a successful replacement to the human species would look like. This means asking questions such as what it means to be human (what are our origins? And what is the criteria you must pass to qualify as a human?) and what the purpose would be behind creating something like this. Whilst also theorising what it would look like and what the humans involved in this sort of work would be like.

In Ex Machina our ‘god’ is an arrogant, controlling, perverted drunk named Nathan (Oscar Isaac). Our human rat is a typical nice guy named Caleb (Domhall Gleeson). And our AI is an intelligent, human looking robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander).

Whilst examining these scientific ideas Garland also manages to explore the relationship between men and women through these characters. All three are using one another to get what they want. And every watch forces you to think about which one you should be rooting for and makes you wonder what the motives were behind each decision.

Garland’s script, like Dredd’s, is tight. We are straight into the action. He enjoys trapping his characters in a singular location for the duration of his films. And also giving you little context before dropping you into the middle of something.

He uses very few characters, meaning the creation of some fascinating and multi dimensional people for us to follow (some of his best characters yet). And as always, he leaves a lot up to the viewer.

In terms of direction (this being his first official director credit) he doesn’t make too many inspired or risky decisions with the camera. But the set design and the location are both beautiful. The music is haunting, especially in the final scene, and the performances are all strong (Vikaner’s being the standout).

Ex Machina is a thrilling science fiction film that makes you think, but is also endlessly rewatchable. Garland continues to be able to find ways to make complex ideas entertaining.