See it at the Movies

EX MACHINA

with Joyce & Don Fowler
Posted 4/30/15

* * * ½

(Weird sci-fi robot movie)

While slow and talky at times, “Ex Machina” draws you into its fascinating concepts about artificial intelligence and leaves you with a dramatic, …

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See it at the Movies

EX MACHINA

Posted

* * * ½

(Weird sci-fi robot movie)

While slow and talky at times, “Ex Machina” draws you into its fascinating concepts about artificial intelligence and leaves you with a dramatic, unpredictable, clever ending.

Domhall Gleeson plays Caleb, who travels to an isolated building in the Norwegian forest a young, bright computer programmer who is selected to participate in a research project that turns out to be more than he bargained for. His boss, Nathan (Oscar Isaac) is a heavy drinking, demanding, eccentric who has developed a thinking, talking robot named Ava (Alicia Vikander).

Caleb’s weeklong assignment is to interact with her and determine whether she has certain human characteristics such as the ability to think for herself, love and make moral decisions. Caleb becomes attached to Ava, and there are indications that Ava has certain feelings toward him, as they meet with a glass partition separating them.  There is something suspicious about Nathan that Caleb can’t immediately put his finger on until he does a bit of investigating. Also suspicious is the only other character in the building, an Oriental servant who speaks no English. What happens after the study comes as a surprise to everyone, audience and characters alike.

The special effects are as good as we’ve seen in this genre. If you want something different in the sci-fi area, this should interest you.

Rated R, with nudity, profanity, a moment of violence and some sexual innuendos.

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