Ex Machina Review
Artificial Intelligence isn’t anything to screw around with.
Most of Hollywood’s artificial intelligence stories fall into one of two categories.
The first is the more well known science fiction trope where AI is humanities downfall. Terminator, iRobot and Avengers 2 to name a few.
The second is the softer, more optimistic theme where AI become love interests or our benefactors like Her.
Ex Machina doesn’t fit into either one. Instead opting for a ‘smarter’ experience.
The story follows a young programmer, Caleb, talk with the AI, Eva, to determine if it passes the Turing test.
The Turing test being a machines ability to exhibit intelligence indistinguishable to our own.
Eva and Caleb form a bond through a series of conversations from the mundane to warnings about Nathan, the bearded AI creator.
And that’s as much as I can say about the plot without giving away any spoilers.
Ex Machina has some issues. Caleb isn’t as likable as he needed to be. Nathan is a difficult character to believe in as well. No one person is that smart.
But don’t let those details get in the way of a good story.
Ex Machina won’t burn up the theaters or even streaming services like Netflix or Amazon Prime. But if you want to see some “smart” science fiction, this is your movie.
FYI, Artificial intelligence has moved from science fiction trope, to serious conversation among the tech elite.
Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking are two who believe AI could be our down fall.
In 2014, Google announced an Artificial Intelligence oversight board.
That board would, in theory, keep the plot of Ex Machina, from happening. (A rogue scientist/engineer creating AI in his basement).
The concerns don’t stop there. Waitbutwhy.com has a wonderful, two-part article on the real dangers surrounding artificial intelligence.
