Film Ex Machina (2014)

[Tranced]

Ex Machina (2014)

Caleb, a 26 year old programmer at the world's largest internet company, wins a competition to spend a week at a private mountain retreat belonging to Nathan, the reclusive CEO of the company. But when Caleb arrives at the remote location he finds that he will have to participate in a strange and fascinating experiment in which he must interact with the world's first true artificial intelligence, housed in the body of a beautiful robot girl.

IMDB

I caught about ten minutes from the middle of this film a few weeks back, and knew I had to watch it. I eventually got round to it last night and fuck, what a brilliant sci-fi.

I really enjoyed the way it panned out, and found it to be a very beautiful, thought provoking film. Well worth a watch - I can't believe I'd missed it up until now.

 

[Shale]

Yes, I too was blown away by this AI sci-fi when it came out. My review at the time:

Ex Machina
Movie Blurb by Shale
May 6, 2015

This movie was supposed to be released on April 10 but it was not at the Regal Cinema until April 24, when I was at sea. So, today I went to this one first, since the Avengers movie will be around for a while and this very nice film that I have been waiting to see may not be here after this Friday.

This is my kind of film - exploring the possibility of Artificial Intelligence and all the new ramifications that happen after we create it. This has been dealt with in so many works of futuristic fiction - especially Star Trek, which focused on the rights of "machines" with artificial intelligence and at which point they are sentient beings to live their own lives. These issues are also dealt with in some of my favorite movies like Blade Runner, A.I., I Robot, Moon & her.

And, this movie covers all of those issues intelligently, while playing out an entertaining and quite suspenseful plot.

The aggregate critics on Rotten Tomatoes give it a 91% fresh and 89% of audiences liked it as did I. The critics consensus was: "Ex Machina leans heavier on ideas than effects, but it's still a visually polished piece of work -- and an uncommonly engaging sci-fi feature."

It is basically a play with three actors in a single setting (shot at Juvet Landscape Hotel in Valldalen, Norway - with stunning wilderness scenery). Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) is a programmer working at a very popular Web search engine when he learns that he won a contest that lets him work directly with the reclusive company boss Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac) for a week on a special project.

Somehow, the suspense starts when the programmer nerd is dropped off in the wilderness by the company helicopter pilot who says he is not allowed to go any closer to the facility. After trekking to a cabin and being let in by computer, Caleb finally meets Nathan and we learn that the boss is a type A personality, who drinks in excess and plays mind games with subordinates.

After signing a non-disclosure agreement and affirming that he is familiar with the Turing test for artificial intelligence (a blind study where you cannot differentiate whether a response is from a computer or a human), Nathan takes Caleb to meet Ava (Alicia Vikander), the A.I. android.

During the questioning of Ava, Caleb finds her intriguing and desirable and her responses to his questions are very human, where she even takes the lead and inquires of his life, being a little flirtatious. And, Caleb is getting enamored. .

There are also intrigues involving the eccentric Nathan, which Caleb starts snooping out. This is where the movie gets quite suspenseful and you know some conflict will occur.

If you are into sci-fi and A.I. stories, I would recommend not missing this movie. I will likely get it when the DVD comes out and see it again. This movie is rated R because of the several full-frontal (and nice backside) nude scenes of Alicia Vikander and other female actors.

 

[tathra]

i thought it was alright, but it didnt really blow me away or anything like that, or even really stick out in my memory for any reason.

anything that could end up resulting in more good sci fi films being made i'll support with my all though.

 

[Tranced]

but it didnt really blow me away or anything like that, or even really stick out in my memory for any reason.

Me either, but for some reason it clicked. I can imagine some people might see it as slow/uneventful.

anything that could end up resulting in more good sci fi films being made i'll support with my all though.

100% yes. It's a shame that the sci-fi genre has such quality potential, but just a lack of solid/consistent product.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I liked this film a lot but I'm looking for something to watch right now and when thinking of watching this again it's a no.

 

[cduggles]

^Agreed.

The film is definitely more about ideas than effect-driven as stated in blurb above, but I think it's worth a watch.

The Norway location is gorgeous.

And the guy who made the AI is exactly what I would imagine. :D

 

[JahSEEuS]

still haven't seen, do mean to.

 

[Ds]

there are boobies in this movie, so you should watch it.

 

[tathra]

there are boobies in this movie, so you should watch it.