(This is a great, contained/simple, pressure cooker of a film. A great story and a great execution of a not so far off sci-fi setup.
Written and directed by Alex Garland.
The story structure is one of my favorite parts of this piece.
To me the core question is not "Is Ava next-to-human," but instead "What happens to humans when we are confronted with a next-to-human being, something that we feel truly sees us?"
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoQuVnKhxaM
That may be Nathan's question in a specific sense and the audience's on a wider scale as well.
As Act 1 transitions into Act 2, Nathan sets down some foundation, hint, or guidance for this asking, "How does she feel about you?"
It's still within an overall conversation that seems to be an analysis of Ava, but we are shifting within that to an analysis of Caleb.
Look closely to Session 2 with Ava.
Caleb is the one sitting in a cage as Ava walks and moves around him watching and asking questions.
IMDb: https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/
All this is in line with the coming midpoint. Truth surfaces, doubt is introduced, and the story changes.
In Session 4 Caleb tells Ava that he is testing her. Ava tells Caleb Nathan's a liar. And Ava steps further into "real" by showing the power cuts are hers--she wants to see how they act while they're not being observed by Nathan.
After this we find that Caleb was chosen for the trip; it was not random selection.
We have stepped further into the ideas of: Ava seems more real than ever, Caleb (we) is being played and observed, Nathan may or may not be honest.
All the sudden it feels like we are the experiment.
To me, that's the point.
Well done. Subtle but powerful.
From here, Act 2 careens down a path of oddness, aggression, confrontation, and doubt, setting up a new goal and a new question as Act 3 arrives--not an analysis in a literal sense, but an action and new plan for Caleb and Ava.
As part of our actual core question of "What ultimately happens to us, to Caleb, once we meet Ava?" is answered, part of the question still remains until the end.
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Be well.
LionSuit.com
(words are original. image is open and free use from pixabay. posts may also be shown on my hive.blog page.)
