I watched Ex Machina tonight. It was extremely well put together and had great characters and moments, but I didn't really like it. I couldn't put my finger on why until I had a sort of mini-epiphany and learned something about myself. (I've had a few of these in the last couple of years, maybe I'll write more about them).
Spoiler alert, this post isn't actually really about Ex Machina, so don't expect a review.
I've been aware for quite some time that I prefer fiction with an element of the fantastic - something you don't see in the real world. Most often that means science fiction, but also some absurdist comedy (like Airplane, Police Squad, or Hot Fuzz). I was never really drawn to fantasy, though. There are a couple of exceptions - I can't not like The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings - but as a general rule, not too into fantasy.
A lot of fantasy strikes me as generic. The same magic, the same medieval Europe style, the same creatures, the same elves and dwarves and orcs. It's the main reason I didn't like Dragon Age: Origins - a third of it felt generic, and half felt like it was trying to put its own spin on standard fantasy but not going far enough.
Stay with me, I promise this is going somewhere.
Despite having little interest in fantasy, I love D&D. Not the pre-built adventures and worlds, though - I make my own. I love coming up with or mashing together ideas, building a world, and exploring the implications and consequences of the setting.
So now we're getting around to it. Ex Machina has an excellent story and characters, but it has no worldbuilding. We get in-depth character studies, revealing personalities and motivations and emotions, but it's all set in the real world, and we don't get to see the implications or consequences of the events and decisions. And I think that's what bugs me. I love clever, original worlds, and I love examining the philosophies and differences and choices that emerge from these unique places and situations. That's why, the only times I have used pre-existing D&D settings, I tinker with them and change things to put a new spin on the world and see what happens.
Long and meandering story short, that's why I didn't love Ex Machina.
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