Ex Machina

A minimalist, visually attuned film, punctuated by LEDs, a polished eco-house in pristine nature, ambient atmosphere and ethereal music. As long as there's philosophising over AI vs human and small but clearly outlined and fairly consistent emotions are brought to the surface, everything is perfectly fine. It's a shame about the stilted finale that doesn’t deliver anything extra, but Garland is good. (09/22/2015)

Or how alcohol and programming could destroy human kind. The fantastic Alicia Vikander in the role of an innocent robot seduces the viewer who then willingly goes along with her game, gazing lovingly into her artificial eyes to the end. Garland works with an amazingly attractive concept and manages to deliver an exceedingly satisfying experience for both sexes. Gleeson is cast brilliantly as the classic nerdy programmer, but the jaunty Isaac (not Asimov) easily outplays him. A philosophical construction genius, drunk as a skunk, copulating till he’s blind, while still thinking straight. + lots of shots of bare bosoms. An unassuming gem amongst robot movies. Catching music. Man is saved by his good deeds. (05/31/2015)

Ex Machina is not a film for everyone. This genre is usually associated with the expectation of a grand spectacle with action elements, whereas this film is an intimate conversation piece, an emotionally charged love triangle, and a clever cat-and-mouse game. Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence is touching, 2001: A Space Odyssey is monumental, I, Robot is action-packed, and Her is melancholic, but Ex Machina is primarily clever. True, the resolution lacks originality and cleverness, but let's face it - if it had those, the film would probably lose its connection with a significant portion of its audience. A film should not be smarter than its viewer, as otherwise, it risks commercial failure. Ex Machina may not be as expensive and epic as American sci-fi films usually are, but for a less affluent European production, it certainly was a big treat. While the sentiment of the acclaimed film Her completely missed the mark for me, I was completely captivated by Ex Machina. It is heading in the right direction, asking exactly the questions that I consider important, and it works on an emotional level as well. Playing god is not worth it, and Ex Machina strongly warns that artificial intelligence is not just a challenge with enormous possibilities, but also (and perhaps especially) an ethical problem and a great risk. Overall impression: 95%. (10/07/2015)

Ex Machina is a sensitive and engaging depiction of artificial intelligence shrouded in mystery with a pleasant sci-fi feel. The actress playing the female android is great. But the surprising twist and the way it is used dramatically proves that screenwriter and director Alex Garland might not be as clever as his brilliant male heroes. (05/22/2015)

As a matter of fact, the premise is pretty simple and builds on the psychology of two characters and one android. It is nice that films like this one get to be filmed these days, but the more of them there is, the more critical I am towards them and here everything stands and falls by the premise, which is not bad, but it is a base for a rather small-scale film. At least the ending made everything pretty clear. (06/05/2015)