Ex Machina (2015): "A young programmer is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in artificial intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a breath-taking female A.I." - IMDB
I'll start off by saying that I may be a bit biased when writing this review because both me and my fiancee have strong backgrounds in technology; fiancee is actually a programmer. I had heard good things about this movie from friends of mine and I felt compelled to watch it.
The story itself is really thought out and presents the dilemma early on: is an artificially intelligent being capable of conscious thought? The main character, Caleb, is tasked with answering this question by applying the Turing Test on Ava, a human-like being built on artificial intelligence. Nathan, Caleb's boss and CEO of the largest search engine company Bluebook (think Google), is Ava's creator and has given Nathan a week to test her consciousness.
The actor's do a good job of giving off an awkward feel to the movie. There's something strange about Nathan (Ava actually eludes to him being a liar, and for Caleb not to believe him) and Caleb himself is successfully portrayed as a gifted but alone programmer. Ava has intentional sex appeal to her and, although played by an actual person, exhibits some machine-like movement, responses and expressions.
Onto the movie itself... I found myself into the movie the entire time. At about the halfway mark, I had to make a quick run to the store and found myself hurrying so I could come back and finish watching. The story is good, acting is good and the element of mystery keeps you interested the whole time. There isn't a whole bunch of back story on Caleb or Nathan but you do get clues about them during the movie. This gives the film a quick start without a whole bunch of "fluff" at the beginning. It moves slow at times and any casual movie watcher can figure out things that go without saying. Those are really my only two gripes about the movie.
The visuals were awesome on Blu-Ray. Remember, this isn't an action film. It's heavy on the sci-fi side and you just need to keep an open mind about it all. In a time where A.I. is becoming more and more advanced, this movie gives perspectives to the benefits and dangers of such technology. Where do we draw the line on such intelligence? Do we REALLY want machines to be free-thinking and conscious entities? Whatever side of the dilemma you're on, this movie will definitely get you thinking.
My rating: 7/10
The story is great, the acting is above-average and the movie is visually pleasant. I would give a higher rating if the A.I. topic hadn't already been done in excess with movies like The Terminator, A.I. and I, Robot. The ending itself left some to be desired and there are a few plot holes in the movie. I may be nit-picking but I believe my rating is fair.
This is a must-watch if you're a sci-fi fan and don't necessarily need all the action associated with recent sci-films like Terminator: Genisys.
Official Trailer
IMDB Link
Might have to check this one out. 
