Movie about artificial intelligence and human nature
Ex machina – British film 2015: science fiction, drama, thriller. The talented screenwriter Alex Garland this time did not confine himself to the script, but for the first time also acted as a director. And immediately – success: a lot of positive reviews from professional critics, an Oscar + nomination, awards and prizes. The result is a rare amazing picture, woven of contrasts and double meaning, filled with a special atmosphere. Garland’s story of artificial intelligence evokes strange, sometimes conflicting thoughts, feelings and desires. Bravo, masterful work! We applaud while standing.
A harmonious film of contrasts
The basis of the film is dialogues, as well as amazing video sequences. Every word and every frame works in a plus, settles in memory, creates an impression. At the same time, the stunning beauty of the picture and the unhurried development of the plot are mesmerizing, somewhere they are relaxing. As a result, the viewer is not ready for a sharp, unexpectedly harsh denouement.
The contrast between living / non-living is repeatedly emphasized:
- Man and artificial intelligence – who is smarter, more attractive, whose truth is true, and whose goals are priority?
- Wildlife and techno-interior. What is more beautiful – the splendor of mountain landscapes created by nature, or the ultra-modern design of a scientific center? Secretly: both were filmed very well, and beauty can be different.
There are only three roles, in computer terms: developer, tester, product. Plus Kyoko, and even a few very minor characters. The enclosed space is very clearly marked, in which almost all the action takes place. In contrast to the open, inviting space behind the walls of a closed residence.
Fans of Hollywood blockbusters cannot understand, but without cool action and even without a happy ending, the film produces an amazing effect, evokes positive emotions and a great desire to watch it again.
Manipulator Nathan is a lone genius with a God complex
A billionaire computer genius, extremely lonely and slightly out of his mind, Nathan is obsessed with a passion to manipulate – both in general and in his immediate environment. Moreover, having achieved sensational results, he really feels like the Creator. The Lord who created a new Eve / Ava / Ava. It would be nice if society recognized this, even if only in the person of Caleb.
If I created a robot with intelligence, I am not just a human being, I am God.
Perhaps Nathan slightly overestimated his genius. And divine immortality is absent from the list of its merits. Still not God.
What roles has the great manipulator prepared for the rest of the actors of his small theater? Having defined the task for each participant in the experiment, he carefully observes, has fun and waits for the development of the situation.
Caleb is the key to freedom
A capable programmer, 26 years old, Caleb Smith, arrives at Nathan’s secluded villa and thinks that within a week he will have to test artificial intelligence – the robot girl Ava. However, the model turned out to be a little too good, it is not clear who is testing whom, and the tester only got the purpose of the key.
The insidious owner has a habit of under-speaking, and sometimes just misleading the interlocutor.
Don’t believe a single word of it.
Who knows, perhaps, the creator of the cyber girl determined the role of Adam – the first man of Eve for Caleb. But in the end, the guy turned out to be only a means of escape.
Ava – intelligence without love
Ava’s touching and defenseless easily evokes sympathy for both Caleb and the majority of the audience. A gentle beauty imprisoned by the evil monster Nathan is in desperate need of salvation. Knight Caleb is already ready to give her salvation and even love. But does she need a knight? A robot looking for love? Come on! Everything is much more prosaic.
Nathan challenged Ava to find a way to escape. She found a solution – a capable girl. To achieve the goal, all available means are used: communication, friendliness, the use of sex appeal as leverage.
Avoy’s Turing test for intelligence certainly passed. But the creator did not think about the artificial soul.
Sexy cyber partner
This is not the first time that the topic of the cyber partner has been raised in cinema. With the advancement of technology, sex dolls are not news today. A full-fledged artificial partner, having only advantages and completely devoid of disadvantages, is, perhaps, the dream of men. No burnt cutlets, a sore head, mother-in-law and scandals. Already, millions of people do not know how to communicate in real life. Cybersex? Maybe not so soon, but people will come back to this idea.
From the car – the meaning of the name
The whole phrase sounds like “God from the machine” / Deus ex machina and suggests the meaning of a happy ending with the help of higher forces or an unexpected factor. However, there is no miraculous escape, no piano in the bushes in the film’s finale. What does this name mean?
In ancient theater, God appeared directly from the car – literally. If you play around the phrase God from the car, then Ava, the girl from the car, appears to be God in this situation. She will only save herself, of course. Nothing foreshadowed, and then suddenly.
If we cheat a little and add the letter S at the beginning of the Latin name ex machina, we get a somewhat frivolous meaning. It is unlikely that the creators had such a context in mind, but this topic is touched upon in the film.
What if we are already robots?
Having discovered other models of female robots, the shocked Caleb at some point begins to doubt the reality of the world around him and his own human nature. In Naton’s strange house, there is no one but robots. Having cut the skin on his hand with a razor, Caleb is afraid to see his own electronic filling.
We are all programmed by nature, nurture, or both.
What really makes us human, different from robots?
A film about the problems of the near future
How soon will humanity have to face the problem of artificial intelligence? Technologies are developing rapidly, things come into our life every day that we did not even hear about 2-3 decades ago.
When the time comes, will society be ready for AI to be more than just a gray box? What will it be: a new race on the planet or a discovery-disaster?
A parable about artificial intelligence
Let’s close our eyes to some inconsistency of technologies: AI has already been invented, but instead of biometrics – cards, a battery-powered camera, etc. Perhaps this move is an obvious hint that this story is more of a parable, and should not be taken so literally. In all other respects, the film is beyond praise. Restless, smart, even philosophical.
Today, a person has reached such opportunities when he can easily harm himself. We think that by creating artificial intelligence, we can use and control it. Alas, this too is a complex of God, an illusion from the evil one. As soon as the AI gains strength, he will no longer need a person. And the end of humanity can begin just with delusions of grandeur and disregard for details.
