The idea of artificial intelligence and human-like robots interacting with people is utterly fascinating and is widely explored in the future worlds of sci-fi movies. But in reality, it is far more of a philosophical, and even physically terrifying, conundrum.
Many of today’s great tech minds have expressed awe, desire, and fear over this very topic – as very cleverly outlined in the ominous advertising for the new film, Ex Machina.
– Stephen Hawking
“AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last.”
– Elon Musk
While many films have touched, or even focused, on both sides of that coin, very few have explored both sides as thoroughly and effectively as Ex Machina.
Like a more contained Blade Runner for the digital age, Ex Machina probes deep into the minds of creator and creation alike. The brooding Oscar Isaac plays Nathan, an Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg hybrid genius, who is a confusing mix of congenial, mysterious, and intimidating. After creating a groundbreaking search engine, he has taken the next step in AI evolution by creating Eva, a nearly flawless humanoid robot. He is well aware of the ramifications of his creation, but casually dismisses them. He is not a mad scientist, just an arrogant one.
Built with a mesmerizing mesh silhouette, Eva is angelically embodied by Swedish actress Alicia Vikander. Delicate and complicated, manipulative and childlike, it is fascinating to watch her evolve as the film progresses. She learns and adapts quickly, which only makes her more fascinating, yet foreboding. The film does a terrific job of humanizing her. The audience, fully aware of what she is, truly cares about her - perhaps we have already failed the Turing test.
The other human element in this cinematic Turing test (a frequent reference in the film) is Caleb, the polar opposite of Nathan, played by Domhnall Gleeson. As an employee of Nathan, Caleb is the winner of a company-wide contest selected to visit his boss’ top secret mountain laboratory to help test Eva’s consciousness.
Everyone (and everything) in this film is incredibly intelligent. The three characters play a continual game of chess (another frequent reference) with one another – and the audience. Motives are questioned, allegiances are switched, and actions are surprising even when they are predictable. From the start, Caleb is seemingly just a pawn in their game, but he eventually attempts to take matters into his own hands. Everyone has an agenda and nothing is revealed to the audience until the filmmakers want us to know. And often our assumptions are wrong, likewise for the characters in the film.
Though Caleb is the obvious surrogate for the audience, he is not the only relatable character. Quite knowledgeable, but not nearly as smart as he thinks he is (like the audience), this everyman is highly susceptible to emotion (like the audience). Just when he thinks he has figured it out (like the audience), a new wrinkle is revealed. Similarly, Eva also shares connection with the audience. She is constantly learning and building upon previous knowledge (like the audience). She catches on as the action unfolds before her (just like the audience). But with all characters, nothing is at is seems.
Ex Machina does hit some familiar genre notes – it’s unavoidable – but in the end, it explores them far more deeply and satisfyingly than its predecessors. The film is a multi-layered commentary that plunges the depths of such heady themes as consciousness, voyeurism, technology, and our very existence. The film is a fully engrossing trip, one of the most satisfyingly cerebral sci-fi films in quite awhile, and easily the best film of the year so far.
* * * * ½ out of 5 stars
While many films have touched, or even focused, on both sides of that coin, very few have explored both sides as thoroughly and effectively as Ex Machina.
Like a more contained Blade Runner for the digital age, Ex Machina probes deep into the minds of creator and creation alike. The brooding Oscar Isaac plays Nathan, an Elon Musk/Mark Zuckerberg hybrid genius, who is a confusing mix of congenial, mysterious, and intimidating. After creating a groundbreaking search engine, he has taken the next step in AI evolution by creating Eva, a nearly flawless humanoid robot. He is well aware of the ramifications of his creation, but casually dismisses them. He is not a mad scientist, just an arrogant one.
Built with a mesmerizing mesh silhouette, Eva is angelically embodied by Swedish actress Alicia Vikander. Delicate and complicated, manipulative and childlike, it is fascinating to watch her evolve as the film progresses. She learns and adapts quickly, which only makes her more fascinating, yet foreboding. The film does a terrific job of humanizing her. The audience, fully aware of what she is, truly cares about her - perhaps we have already failed the Turing test.
The other human element in this cinematic Turing test (a frequent reference in the film) is Caleb, the polar opposite of Nathan, played by Domhnall Gleeson. As an employee of Nathan, Caleb is the winner of a company-wide contest selected to visit his boss’ top secret mountain laboratory to help test Eva’s consciousness.
Everyone (and everything) in this film is incredibly intelligent. The three characters play a continual game of chess (another frequent reference) with one another – and the audience. Motives are questioned, allegiances are switched, and actions are surprising even when they are predictable. From the start, Caleb is seemingly just a pawn in their game, but he eventually attempts to take matters into his own hands. Everyone has an agenda and nothing is revealed to the audience until the filmmakers want us to know. And often our assumptions are wrong, likewise for the characters in the film.
Though Caleb is the obvious surrogate for the audience, he is not the only relatable character. Quite knowledgeable, but not nearly as smart as he thinks he is (like the audience), this everyman is highly susceptible to emotion (like the audience). Just when he thinks he has figured it out (like the audience), a new wrinkle is revealed. Similarly, Eva also shares connection with the audience. She is constantly learning and building upon previous knowledge (like the audience). She catches on as the action unfolds before her (just like the audience). But with all characters, nothing is at is seems.
Ex Machina does hit some familiar genre notes – it’s unavoidable – but in the end, it explores them far more deeply and satisfyingly than its predecessors. The film is a multi-layered commentary that plunges the depths of such heady themes as consciousness, voyeurism, technology, and our very existence. The film is a fully engrossing trip, one of the most satisfyingly cerebral sci-fi films in quite awhile, and easily the best film of the year so far.
* * * * ½ out of 5 stars
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