Movie Analysis: “Ex Machina” — Themes
Another in our bi-weekly series in which we analyze movies currently in release. Why? To quote the writing mantra I coined over 5 years ago: Watch movies. Read scripts. Write pages. You will note which one comes first. Here are my reflections from that post about the importance of watching movies:
To be a good screenwriter, you need to have a broad exposure to the world of film. Every movie you see is a potential reference point for your writing, everything from story concepts you generate to characters you develop to scenes you construct. Moreover people who work in the movie business constantly reference existing movies when discussing stories you write; it’s a shorthand way of getting across what they mean or envision.
But most importantly, you need to watch movies in order to ‘get’ how movie stories work. If you immerse yourself in the world of film, it’s like a Gestalt experience where you begin to grasp intuitively scene composition, story structure, character functions, dialogue and subtext, transitions and pacing, and so on.
Let me add this: It’s important to see movies as they get released so that you stay on top of the business. Decisions get made in Hollywood in large part depending upon how movies perform, so watching movies as they come out puts you in the same head space as reps, producers, execs, and buyers.
This week’s movie: Ex Machina, written and directed by Alex Garland, starring Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, and Oscar Isaac.
Our schedule for discussion this week:
Monday: General Comments
Tuesday: Plot
Wednesday: Characters
Thursday: Themes
Friday: Takeaways
For those of you who have not seen the movie, do not click MORE as we will be trafficking in major spoilers. If you have seen Ex Machina, I invite you to join me in breaking down and analyzing the movie.
One theme I picked up on in watching the movie is the division of time into 7 days. This feature, not in the script I have, is noted by titles on screen: Day 1, Day 2. It’s like we are witness to a variation of the first story of creation in Genesis (there are two). Ava calls herself “1” and the proximity of her name to Eve reinforces the connection the Genesis creation myths. Then there is the God talk, something David Joyner pointed out in comments previously:
CALEB: If you’ve created a conscious machine, it’s not the history of man. It’s the history of gods.
Then later:
NATHAN: You know I wrote it down. That other line you came up with. About how if I’ve created a conscious machine, I’m not man. I’m God.
CALEB: … I don’t think that’s exactly what I said.
Then even later:
NATHAN… See? I really am a god.
CALEB: I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.
The irony here is we are led to believe that “God” most aptly applies to Nathan, when in point of fact, it’s more relevant to Ava. And instead of being cast out of Eden by God for her indiscretions as in the Biblical story of The Fall, Ava destroys Nathan — “I am become death” — imprisons Caleb, and leaves to begin Creation anew… as her own God. Indeed that final shot [which I can’t find anywhere online!] — Ava on the street corner as people pass by on all sides, it’s like she is ready to assume the role of deity among these mere mortals.
By the way, both Nathan (short for Nathaniel) and Caleb are Old Testament names.
What themes do you see at work in Ex Machina?
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