Ex Machina

Ex Machina uses the sci-fi medium of the future to explore the creation of a perfect woman. Putting forward the question, what can be artificially created? Consciousness, love and life are all examined in this film. The innocent thrust into this situation is Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a programmer for Blue Book, the near future's dominant search engine, who is summoned to the research facility and retreat run by his boss, genius mogul Nathan (Oscar Isaac). In a luxury home that goes into lockdown, the inhabitants are Nathan, his maid Kyoko (Sonoya Mizuno ) and Ava (Alicia Vikander), a striking mix of moulded female form, glowing blue cables and a digital brain. Similarly to Blade Runner creates a cautionary tale about Playing God and does so through a chilling relationship between Caleb and the robot Ava. Garland does a magnificent job of foreshadowing and allusion throughout the film and the mis-en-scene of the film is cultivated through a minimalist scape and setting. Ex Machina gets a haunting 4/5 stars.