Haiku Revieu | Ex Machina

Ex Machina
★★★★1/2

Don't mess with robots
William Weasley is a nerd
Don't ignore free will

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A young programmer is selected to participate in a breakthrough experiment in artificial intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a breathtaking female A.I.

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WARNING: Possible spoilers ahead.

From the first time I saw this trailer, I was intrigued. It's got an indie feel, but the special effects are, well, really effective. (I mean, just look at Ava in the trailer below. So impressive!) I was worried, however, at the sinister tone. I'm not a huge horror fan, so I didn't want to have to sit through a movie peeking through my hands covering my eyes.

Thankfully, the movie isn't a horror film—at least, not the type of horror we've come to know from the likes of Eli Roth and the Saw franchise. Ex Machina is very suspenseful, but it's more thoughtful than gory. Is it scary? Without spoiling it, yes. But for different reasons than you might think.

The cast of this movie was also excellent. Alicia Vikander, who I wasn't really familiar with (and isn't, to my surprise, related to Emilia Clarke), does an amazing job at playing the AI Ava. Domhnall Gleeson's Caleb is a bit of a sap, but has a surprising strength. And Oscar Issac's Nathan is at times charismatic and creepy—and oh-so-narcissistic—but the roles makes it easy to see why Issac is more and more becoming a household* name.

If you like somewhat suspenseful sci-fi movies that make you think, I'd definitely check this one out! Warning though: There's a lot of lady nudity in the movie, some of which felt a little like nudity for nudity's sake, but it made sense in the context of the film.

*Households, currently, that watch unique films. But I think his role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens will change that pretty dramatically. Of note: Domhnall Gleeson will also be in The Force Awakens.

Check it out: