Film Review - Ex Machina

Film Review:

Ex Machina

"...that's not the history of man. That's the history of gods."

IN the age of incels and feminism, masculinity has taken on a rather a nuanced and peculiar auspice. Anyway, Alex Garland's ruminations on concepts of toxic masculinity and technology lets us ogle sexy robots.

Power Dynamics

FROM the moment that our plucky protagonist Caleb (Domhnaill Gleason) sets foot in erratic genius Nathan's (Oscar Isaac) estate, he finds himself locked in a strange game of hyper-masculinity. Nathan is his boss, and immensely powerful - Caleb has only been invited to his vast estate as a prize.

Nathan hasn't brought Caleb to his super-secret facility just for yucks however: he wants Caleb to take part in a Turing test on his newest creation that could change the world forever: Ava.

The centrifugal point of the drama comes from the dance Ava and Nathan are both doing with Caleb. The tension between Ava and Caleb is always complicated, because it introduces an idea that is ill-at-ease with the fundamental premise of what is going on: is Caleb attracted to Ava, despite her clearly being a robot. Ava's innocence with a hint of coyness, and the way she changes her behaviour when the camera is off, messes with Caleb on a fundamental level. He's constantly at odds with himself throughout the movie thanks to her.

Nathan carries with him a dangerous tension and never lets Caleb forget how much he is in Nathan's power, whilst constantly telling him to relax. Their relationship is more complex than it could have been in this movie, which has a very specific sci-fi heart.

Actual Sci-fi

CLASSICALLY, hard sci-fi's failing is good characterisation, so it's a pleasure to say that not only does the film have good characterisation, it is also really, really good sci-fi.

Part of its power comes from its clarity. Ex Machina knows what it is about. Characters are given choices and express their ideas and conflicts through technology and how technology shapes us. If it is a little on the nose that Nathan's Google-surrogate Blue Book is named after a Wittgenstein book, it just demonstrates that the story has very clear goals and ideas. 

Is it important that Ava has a sex? Is it important if Ava can have sex? Ava's existence exemplifies both a more traditional examination of what consciousness and sentience means, coupling it with the base objectification that comes with the male gaze. Few times, at least to my mind, has an interrogation of masculinity come through such an explicit sci-fi lense - and hard sci-fi, not space battles and light sabers.

Dead Space

GARLAND'S maiden voyage behind the camera is ambitious. His direction emphasises the space around the characters, the size and bareness of facility, the looming walls and ceilings, the barriers between the characters. Characters are often framed with a lot of dead space in the shots, often one will be much less centred than another. His stark style sobers up the potential silliness of a man looking to pork a robot. The exterior shots emphasise a barren beauty and vastness to the surrounding landscapes. We're almost never allowed to feel safe or cozy in the facility.

Messy Choices

EX Machina is not a film of big twists or shocking reveals. It allows the tension, the characters and concepts to carry the very simple plotting that lends the story its strength. However, certainly narrative choices made at the end of the story leave me slightly torn. There's a sudden muddle to everything about the finale, in terms of character and theme, and although the story leaves on a haunting note, it's something I'm personally still trying to parse.

HARMONY isn't available to the general public yet, so why not give Ex Machina a go instead?