Review: Ex Machina
The opening moments of writer Alex Garland's directorial debut Ex Machina call to mind Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker's exceptional anthology series that is a darkly satirical exploration of the often destructive ways technology has tentacled itself in the DNA of modern society. Its first episode, "The National Anthem," revolved around a lose-lose decision for the British Prime Minister: have live sex with a pig on national television or a kidnapped princess will be killed. Its fourth episode, "Be Right Back," offered a grieving widow a chance to stay in touch with her deceased husband via an online service that virtually recreates people by using all of their past online activity. It was an achingly conflicted riff on the Frankenstein tale with Domhnall Gleeson as the clone who only exists to serve its master.
Gleeson once again wades into man versus machine waters in Ex Machina, this time dealing with the seemingly not so monstrous making of another man, an internet search engine billionaire named Nathan (Oscar Isaac). Gleeson's programmer Caleb wins an opportunity to spend a week at the secluded estate of his boss. From the moment Caleb steps off the helicopter and onto the lushly verdant land, the Island of Dr. Moreau atmosphere signals this is no ordinary holiday. Nathan has created an A.I. named Ava (Alicia Vikander), and he wants Caleb to conduct the Turing Test (named for Alan Turing, the protagonist of The Imitation Game), an examination to determine if Ava's thought process and behaviour is distinguishable from that of a human being. Thus commences the film proper as Caleb and Ava meet for daily sessions under the ever-watchful eye of Nathan.
The main complication of the test, of course, is Ava herself. Sleek and graceful, she is a being composed of biomechanical limbs, a translucent shell in which her wiring is visible, and the most exquisite of faces. It becomes all too clear that Caleb's increasing fascination with her runs deeper than mere coder's curiosity. The soft whirr of her internal machinery almost serves as a siren song for Caleb, who is so enamoured with her wit, intelligence, and human consciousness that he calls into question his own grip on reality. The fact that this particular scene is suspenseful and ominous is a credit to how Ex Machina toys with one's expectations. There is a transparency to the film - so many things are hidden in plain sight - and yet one is never quite certain of what is about to unfold.
Garland, whose screenplay for Never Let Me Go also meditated on similar themes, is in striking distance of perfection, and works wonders with what is essentially a series of limitations. For while Ex Machina is at its core a chamber piece, it never falls into the claustrophobic. Nathan's home, with its warren of glass walls interrupted by rocks and boulders, is a marvel of minimalist design on the part of production designer Mark Digby. Cinematographer Rob Hardy's camera glides from one space to another. It bears repeating what brilliant work Digby, Hardy, and Garland do here. The framing and composition, the manner in which space is used, the movement of the actors within that space - all of these work in concert to convey the multiple power plays between the characters.
Sonoya Mizuno puts in a strong impression as Nathan's silent and mysterious servant. She and Isaac engage in a delightfully out of left field dance number that brings a modicum of levity to a relationship that strongly hints at Nathan's capacity for cruelty. Isaac and Gleeson continue their run of remarkable performances, but Ex Machina belongs to Vikander, the Swede whose talent surpasses her exceeding beauty. There is a specific physicality required for Ava, just that touch of the unnatural which Vikander well-embodies, but this performance is all about her face as it registers a myriad of finespun emotions. One can sense the mechanics as she considers not only every word that comes out of Gleeson's mouth, but also every utterance that comes out of hers. Vikander listens, an act far more complex than one would think. Sensual and immaculate, she absolutely soars as Ava and poises herself to be an invaluable talent that should grace the cinema for many years to come.
Ex Machina
Directed by: Alex Garland
Written by: Alex Garland
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Sonoya Mizuno
