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Film, TV and Streaming

Review: Ex Machina

Three weeks after the highly hyped, yet ultimately underwhelming, “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” and a week after the overwhelmingly successful “Mad Max: Fury Road,” comes another sci-fi movie to Durango. Alex Garland’s “Ex Machina,” with indie film actors Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander, is near opposite to anything Marvel or Mad Max related but just as captivating. Already familiar with science fiction as the screenwriter of acclaimed “28 Days Later ... ” and “Never Let Me Go,” Garland tries and succeeds with his hand at directing for the first time with his latest script.

In a very near future, Caleb (Gleeson) wins a contest for the chance to spend a week assisting the owner, Nathan (Isaac), of the computer company he does coding for. When Caleb excitedly arrives on Nathan’s private resort, it is not only secluded, but also completely programmed with cameras everywhere and A.I. data. Caleb soon discovers he’s been chosen to be a prompter for Nathan’s interactive test with a robotic prototype Nathan has invented and calls Ava (Vikander). But Caleb soon becomes conflicted and cautious when it appears Ava can think for herself and Nathan is keeping something from him.

Ballerina Sonoya Mizuno co-stars as Nathan’s attractive assistant. Both Gleeson and Isaac are also appearing in the Star Wars reboot this fall, and Garland’s film is the perfect calm before the media storm that comes with a big franchise. All three main actors of “Ex Machina” have proved they are some of the most impressive faces in independent cinema right now – Gleeson in “About Time” (2013) and “Frank” (2014), Isaac in “Drive” (2011) and “Inside Llewyn Davis” (2013), and Vikander in “A Royal Affair” (2012) and Testament of Youth” (2014) – and here they all shine and hold together a chilling feature where the action lies in the character interaction. Gleeson leads as the straight man, this time enthralled by this futuristic estate run by Isaac’s charismatic, yet intimidating, Nathan.

The two are so convincing as the mentor and protégé that it feels as if the roles were written just for them. Vikander has the task of convincing the audience that she’s robotic, but also have moments of possible, brief emotion. She not only believable but also eerie and unsettling with short, simple expressions with little movement in her beautifully colorful robot suit. Garland finally finds his perfect breakthrough in film after the disappointing “Sunshine” (2007) and the unfortunately forgotten “Dredd” (2012). Backed up by stellar cinematography, a heart-pounding soundtrack and one bizarre dance scene that’s bound to be infamous. If there’s one arthouse movie to see this month, this subtle, existential journey is it.



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