Religion In Ex Machina

1640 Words7 Pages
The Science Fiction genre is ripe with myths of creation, Gods and Monsters and a lot of religious references. I found it quite interesting, how all three films could be looked at from a religious point of view and share somewhat similar views and/or stories. The following movies that I have analyzed heavily focus on the theme of religion. Ex Machina ( Alex Garland, 2015) As I watched Ex Machina I found it quite intriguing in the sense that Ex Machina was rich with the story of creation. If it is read along those lines then the film could be viewed as an Abrahamic religion’s version of genesis and the retelling tale of Adam and Eve but with a twist. In this film, Nathan serves the role of God while his mansion and surroundings could be seen…show more content…
Most of the populous on earth has been killed off by a virus which broke out in 1997. The Virus could be seen as a plague inflicted upon the people for their “sins”. When the protagonist James Cole is sent back in time to gather information on what went wrong in the past, that is when we see a lot of religious symbolism come to play. First of all, let’s analyze James Cole’s character. His initials are JC, those initials could also be a reference to Jesus Christ. This led me to question whether James is supposed to be a christ like figure? James is granted a pardon for aiding the scientists in finding a cure for the disease. He is brought forth and resurrected from his underground chamber in a virus proof suit as he explores the post-apocalyptic world where animals wander the open space freely. His character could be a representation of Jesus’s second coming, James is meant to be a savior, who is pardoned for his early sins by acts of suffering and benevolence. The sequence where James enters a department store, we see doves fly over him as a Christmas decoration overlooks him. There is an old newspaper paper which informs us that the woes of the book of Revelation have taken place. The fact that the Christmas decoration overlooks James and the doves fly over him suggests that James is some sort of divine being. As doves in biblical reference represents some aspects of the divine. His journey to find truth and hope amidst a fallen world…show more content…
He points James’ attention to a television and explains to him the first sin “There's the television. It's all right there - all right there. Look, listen, kneel, pray. Commercials! We're not productive anymore. We don't make things anymore. It's all automated. What are we for then? We're consumers, Jim. Yeah. Okay, okay. Buy a lot of stuff, you're a good citizen. But if you don't buy a lot of stuff, if you don't, what are you then, I ask you? What? Mentally ill.” Jeffery in another conversation comments on the second sin of animal cruelty. As James watches television clips of cruel laboratory experiments being conducted on monkeys and rabbits, Jeffery mutters, "Look at them. They're just asking for it. Maybe the human race deserves to be wiped out." Goines’ character being an animal activist and the organizer of “The Army of the Twelve Monkeys,” which carried out the deed of releasing of zoo animals in 1996, led to the wild animals taking over the surface world in
Show More
Related

  • Moliere's Treatment Of Women In Tartuffe

    1522 Words  | 7 Pages

    made the King the godfather of his son. Therefore, Moliere incorporated the King at the end, when Tartuffe was plotting to get Orgon arrested, as the "Prince", which would earn the King's support since his character resolves the conflict via Deus ex Machina. Moliere portrayed the “Prince” as a noble character who sees all and is not able to be fooled by Tartuffe, thus giving the Prince God like qualities, “We live under a Prince who is an enemy to fraud, a prince whose eyes penetrate into the heart

    Read More

More about Religion In Ex Machina

Open Document