Oscar Isaac as the enigmatic CEO Nathan was convincing in his laid-back facade with deep-seeded brutality, Alicia Vikander mastered the role of robot Ava still becoming accustomed to her life and interactions with others, and Domhnall Gleeson was brilliant as a timid employee in the company of his hero, before switching to a cunning and suspicious renegade. Any other characters are considered extras. It additionally pauses for some quite beautiful scenes but with the flick of a switch turns abruptly dark.Įx Machina has a very small cast with just 3 main characters. It keeps viewers engaged and one the edge of their seats despite lack of action sequences.
The movie is presented in stages of Caleb's sessions with Ava and with each session the plot escalates and the intricate web of lies is unravelled more. This carries through to the ending, which is pretty brutal. There's a great deal of character misdirection and plot twists, leaving audiences never quite knowing where they stand or what will happen next. The screenplay of this movie is excellent and the plot moves along at a brisk pace, maintaining a thick atmosphere of uncertainty and distrust, which really keeps viewers hooked. That's OK, they have a slew of Transformers movies they can watch instead, but thankfully every once in a while we get an Ex Machina. In truth, this story is too philosophical and brain-engaging for many people. Don't be misled into thinking this is a white-knuckle futuristic thriller, even though there are thematic echoes of Blade Runner and the limited CGI on display is jaw-droppingly realistic. I really appreciate how the filmmakers have a story to tell and stick to it without adding unnecessary subplots, which is not to say there is a lack of intrigue: the compound experiences strange power outages, Ava issues ominous warnings about her creator when the cameras are briefly down, and hints that everyone seems to harbor their own secret agenda are craftily sprinkled in. Could Ishak be next on the list, or is he the man responsible? Tracking down his more ‘unsavoury’ allies, Serena is shocked to encounter a familiar face: that of her grieving ex-partner, former Malaysian ICD officer Megat Jamil (Bront Palarae).Elegantly profound sci-fi fable with just three characters: a whiz kid programmer who wins a competition to visit his tech genius employer's isolated estate, and is thrilled to discover that his purpose is to test the authenticity of a newly developed artificial intelligence named Ava. As Serena and Heri work together to catch the killer, their inquiries lead them to industrialist/kingpin Datuk Ishak Hassan (Wan Hanafi Su), whose prominent family and known associates all have some connection to the victims. Seeking answers, Heri finds a way to insert himself into the Malaysian investigation. Meanwhile, in Jakarta, for ICD Lieutenant Heriyanto Salim (Ario Bayu), the case turns personal when his brother is found murdered in similar circumstances. Called in to investigate, Singaporean International Crimes Division (ICD) officer Serena Teo (Rebecca Lim) takes charge of a case across the border where a family has been slaughtered aboard a luxury yacht in Johor.
A series of brutal murders, each sharing a signature MO, takes place across Malaysia and Indonesia.