Synopsis

Caleb is a young programmer working for the world’s largest Internet company. He wins a contest where the prize is one week at the boss’s remote estate. After flying out in a helicopter he meets the elusive Nathan who lives alone hundreds of miles from civilization. He is asked to test and observe a new artificial intelligence Nathan has developed. But to his surprise, it comes in the form of a beautiful female android.

Caleb is attracted to Ava almost immediately. During one interview the power goes out and she tells him not to trust anything Nathan says. His new goal becomes to rescue Ava from her room which she has never left before. He devises an elaborate plan to make her escape but then discovers Nathan has many more secrets. In the end he’s not sure who is testing whom and the AI is far more than meets the eye.

Specifications
Ex Machina - Blu-ray Movie Review
Lionsgate
2015, Color, Rated R, 1 Hr 48 mins
DTS:X, 2.40:1 Aspect Ratio
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac
Directed by Alex Garland

Rating

Entertainment:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:

Violence: Yes
Sex: Nudity
Language: Yes

Commentary

I really enjoy thought-provoking stories like this that test our perceptions of technology and ask the age-old question – if we can do a thing, does that mean we should? The first half of the film moves pretty slowly and almost seems predictable at times. Domhnall Gleeson, who you’ll recognize as Bill Weasley from the Harry Potter movies, does a terrific job as Caleb. He seems to keep his emotions in check, even after learning some unexpected things about his boss. And his plan to rescue Ava is brilliantly deceptive.

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The story really picks up steam in the second half when we finally get some twists and turns that test what we think we know so far. Underneath it’s a classic “who is playing whom” scenario but I still found myself surprised at the eventual outcome. So the only real flaw here is the slow-moving first act. Once you work your way through it, Ex Machina is far more satisfying. And it even leaves room for a possible sequel. If you’re a fan of future-tech films, this is one of the better ones; highly recommended.

Ex Machina - Blu-ray Movie Review

Technical

The image is presented with excellent clarity and color but I found it unnecessarily dark during most of the interior scenes. I realize the film-makers are going for a stark futuristic look but that doesn’t have to mean dim lighting and deep shadow. Other than the lack of candle-power, the picture is nicely saturated with good contrast.

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This is the first Blu-ray release to include a DTS:X encode; DTS’s answer to Dolby Atmos. I don’t have the necessary electronics and additional speakers required so I had to settle for a very clean DTS-HD Master Audio track which is included in 7.1. While the sound is excellent, I’m not sure this was the best film to introduce a new super-immersive audio format. There just isn’t much material that requires big bold sound. Ambient effects are both clear and subtle but most of the film is dialog-driven. Action scenes are pretty sparse as well so I suspect that viewers with DTS:X-compatible gear won’t find much demo material on this disc.

Ex Machina - Blu-ray Movie Review

Extras

Bonus features total over two hours and include a making-of documentary, an hour of cast and crew interviews and eight behind-the-scenes vignettes covering specific aspects of the production.

Ex Machina - Blu-ray Movie Review