Wind River : An Analysis of Revisionist Western Film

From its start, Taylor Sheridan’s neo-western Wind River opens up with a nod to a traditional motif: a woman named Natalie (Kelsey Chow) is running barefoot in the night snow, besieged and struggling against Wyoming’s unforgiving winter. The next day, we see Cory (Jeremy Renner), a lone cowboy who does hunting and tracking for a living. Formerly married to a native from the Wind River Reservation, he has become familiar with the landscape, with those residing there, and is empathetic of their suppressive history. When Cory is called back on the reservation to hunt a pack of destructive mountain lions, he discovers Natalie’s frozen body. She was raped, and then escaped to run nearly 6 miles in the snow, and we later learn that Cory’s daughter died under similar circumstances, making the case that much more personal for him. FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olson) arrives to head the investigation alongside Cory and the police, in lieu of seeking retribution for Natalie’s death. It’s clear early on that Wind River holds powerful allegory and commentary, particularly paralleling the crime rate tied to the Wind River Reservation in real life, where Sheridan has felt crime repercussions himself.

Beneath the film’s surface, the harsh western landscape plays the unifying enemy for the it’s characters. Early on, we see Natalie’s arrested for questioning and for heavy drug use (also rampant on modern-day reservations) and he remarks, “It’s this place[Wind River], man. Look what it takes from us, look what it took from you…” It’s clear that Sheridan not only plays off the traditional western story arcs, but he has also evoked a discussion regarding living environments on reservations, and how it’s continuously overlooked and undocumented.

Cory (Jeremy Renner) with Agent Jane (Olivia Goode)

The Wyoming landscape also plays a vital role in the detriment of Natalie and Pete, Pete being the nearby drill site worker who raped her. In this stand-off style scene, Pete’s “excuse” may come off as trite or ridiculous, but Sheridan is actually referencing the psychosocial, moral, and physical impacts frontier isolation.

        With his hands tied, Pete yells “…[d]o you know what it’s like, out here in this frozen hell?!? Ain’t got nothing to do…ain’t no nothin, no women, just fucking snow, and the  fucking silence, that’s all!”

       To which Renner replies, “My family’s people were forced  here, stuck here for a  century. That snow and silence is the only thing that hasn’t been  taken from them.  So what’d you take?”

 

Thus, only fitting that the final western dule or stand-off isn’t between Pete and Cory (being a contemporary film, Cory represents a more reformed form of justice, and restrained violence), it’s between Pete and the merciless Wyoming winter. Pete loses. In a most poetic way, both Cory and Natalie’s father seem to find fair closure from his death. This is referred to as “frontier justice”—or personal justice—in western storytelling.

Here and throughout the film, Sheridan also does an impressive job modernizing the classic western revenge story of Cowboys vs. Indians. In the above “stand-off”  and “shoot-out” scene, Cory–though cued as a modern cowboy himself–reminds Pete of the never-ending cultural war that stemmed from the white man’s maltreatment of Native Americans. Even though both Cory and Pete are Caucasian outsiders who are somewhat responsible for the natives’ current plight, Sheridan shows that it’s possible to take the moral high ground in hindering their oppression, rather than to condone it.

On the other hand, FBI agent Jane symbolizes the classic damsel in distress, modernized. Her distress factor is that she’s ignorant of the punitive landscape, of the native culture, and of the poverty and crime that besieges the reservation. Above all, she’s ignorant of how the white man’s colonization of the west has transformed all three. And as the western nomadic cowboy, it is ultimately Cory’s role to transform her mindset and her situation; in fact, Jane directly asks for his ongoing help at one point. Not only does he literally save her life in the shootout scene, but he carries her through and experience that is shocking, horrifying and enlightening at the same time. In fact, per western character traits, she is unable to reintegrate back into “traditional” society, having seen the lawlessness of the west. This is evident during the closing hospital scene, where she breaks down at the suggestion of trying to read a magazine.

Natalie (Kelsey Chow)

In regards to the continued Cowboys vs. Indians theme, also see more blatant references, such as the “We Kill Cowboys” slogan. It was spray painted on the inside of a trailer on the reservation. Later, we hear a drill site worker reference a native as a “feather head”, a derogatory term. Cory also shares a moment teaching his son how to calm and tame a horse on of the ranches, to which his son says, “That’s pretty cowboy, huh dad?”. Cory replies “No, son. That was all Arapahoe”. It’s made clear that a strong separation and stigma exists between both populations; his son assumes that because white father is teaching something, then it must be associated with cowboys and gunmen. It sheds light on a conflict that’s justified both in the film and in reality.

Natalie’s Dad (Gil Birmingam) with Cory. Here, her dad wears mourning face paint, but then admits to being so far separated from his native culture that he doesn’t even know what the paint represents, or if its pattern and coloring is accurate. This separation from his native culture reverts back to the theme of contemporary cowboys vs Indians; to the ongoing oppression that natives have endured since forced onto reservations, often forced practice their lifestyles and spirituality in secret.

Lastly, Sheridan seamlessly implants the drill site workers into the revenge plot. Together, the men represent what’s known as the western “outlaw gang”, a staple for many traditional plots. These gangs, however, only exist to thrive off of another main theme known to western film: Lawlessness. In the moments leading up to the shoot out in Wind River, one site worker points out “…this is private property, you [police] have no jurisdiction here..” Here, Sheridan has bluntly introduced lawlessness for two reasons: to create a realistic setting for a contemporary shootout, and to stir enough fear and tension to form a catalyst for the shootout.

In the shootout scene, it’s clear that they’ve formed a pack mentality and some sort of hierarchy. The gang has a premeditated scenario set up to unfold in their favor: they are called on trying to flank the officers before the shoot out occurs, and they also have 2 additional men hiding inside the trailer, waiting to open fire on officers and the FBI agent, once they hear the correct verbal signal from their “leader” outside.

In a flashback seen, we see what Natalie endured at the hands of those same men. While it may be difficult to catch at first glance, the rape scene also depicts the men acting in an almost premeditated state; like a pack of lions or wolves(perhaps paralleling the pack of lions that Cory has been hunting), almost hovering but actively waiting for Pete to distract the scene so that they can engage and defend him. As fighting breaks out in that scene, the men actively look at Natalie, not her boyfriend Matt. They seem to stare and stand in a collective manner that tells us they are on the attack.

Overall, Sheridan has created a multi-faceted take on the traditional western, and after three films, he seems to have mastered blending western story arcs with modern day socio-political concerns. Wind River is a film that sheds light on the underreported plights on native reservations, and also the particularly high crime rate on the actual reservation of the same name in Wyoming, which is among the worst in the nation. It’s Sheridan’s hope that his film brings real justice and support to such native communities, rather than be seen as just a revenge story in a film.

Swiss Army Man: An Analysis of Themes and Color Symbolism

The above reworked film poster, by artist Joe Wilson, epitomizes what might either draw viewers away from Swiss Army Man, or what might bring them closer to appreciating the allegorical insight that it’s directors expanded upon. I’ll admit, I found it hilarious almost every time there was a farting sound. On the other hand, writer/director duo DANIELS had much more in mind when they decided to use such socially obscene gestures throughout the entire film, especially when pairing them with darker psychological and social backdrops, all set up beautifully alongside Manchester Orchestra’s emotive score.

If you haven’t yet seen the film but are reading reviews anyways, the brief synopsis of Swiss Army is as follows: A man (Paul Dano) comes across a dead body (Danielle Radcliffe) while on a deserted island, and he uses the body—eventually dubbed “Manny”—to help him find his way back to civilization. On a deeper level, it is no more a simple story than it is a documentation of one broken man’s journey through a low point in his life.

Whether or not you’re put off by the film as a whole, it might at least be worth appreciating the variety of modalities presented. DANIELS manages peel back somber layer after somber layer against a comedic backdrop. Overall, it’s impressive that Swiss Army Man adheres to the use of color to bring its themes together. Thus, here is brief analysis of its color symbolism, followed by a breakdown of connecting themes.

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SWISS ARMY MAN (2016) Manny in the suit (Radcliffe) and Hank(Dano) in Plaid.

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The following colors are highlighted in Swiss Army Man:

Red: compassion, anger, excitement, power, vengeance, violence

Blue: tranquility, truth, trust, comfort, commitment, stability, calmness

White: precision, purity, peace, reverence, love, innocence

Yellow: happiness, warmth, optimism, enlightenment, creativity

Green(NATURE): inexperience, self-awareness, renewal, life, vigor

Hank and the cooler that almost killed him.

Hank

Hank’s main representational color is red; in the opening scene we see him in his plaid red shirt, using a red cooler as a step to hang himself above. His pants are a neutral, earthy tone. It’s worth noting that the plaid shirt he wears during the entire film has some yellow and green interspersed within it, likely symbolic of his ongoing struggle to find true self-awareness and happiness; all of which he seems to place on unrequited romance and relationships. He also dons white shirt on underneath, perhaps showcasing his social inexperience and innocence.

In his flashbacks when he’s on the bus with Sarah, he’s wearing another plaid shirt with similar colors. Towards the beginning of the film when he’s rummaging through the woods, he also comes across a solid red sweater that he wears for a large portion of the film. Hank begins to don the red sweater around the same time that he starts falling deeper into his developing fantasy world with Manny.

You’ll notice that Hank still has his red plaid shirt on in the end of the film. As explained with some of the themes below, there’s a reason why his primary color didn’t change: Some of his character traits did  noticeably evolve throughout the film, but his overall drift from society –and elopement with fantasy–did not.

Manny (front) and Hank (back) pretending to interact with Sarah

Manny

Manny’s primary color is blue, and it’s made pretty obvious. His suit is a solid blue, while his shirt is a white and blue pinstripe. His belt is blue and green, but it’s last seen when Hank uses it to hang himself the 2^nd time. Seeing as Manny is the character foil for Hank, it’s fitting and expected that his primary color is blue. Interestingly, Hank uses a white sheet to transport and wrap Manny in throughout the movie, and it has blue and red triangles on it.

Sarah (Mary Elizabeth Winsted) as depicted through most of the film.

Sarah

For essentially the entire film, we are only provided with one image of Sarah, in which she has red hair and red journal, white sweater, and a yellow dress. Her yellow dress is the most prominent piece of clothing, appropriate for fueling Hank and Manny’s feelings of romanticism, warmth, appreciation, and optimism that are connected with her. As a side note: the same enamored reaction is given to the woman in the Sports Illustrated magazine. She has a yellow bathing suit on. The use of yellow symbolizes the idealized, unrealistic expectations placed on relationships and love, specifically in relation to the women in the film. I think it’s safe to say that the red—specifically the journal, as its shown many times—foreshadows the unhealthy obsession and disappointment to come from such idealizations.

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Main Themes

Law of Diminishing Return: Also known as the Law of Varying Proportions, this essentially depicts the point at which the amount of energy invested in something begin to outweigh the return profit. While the idea of diminishing return is first mentioned to Hank’s decreasing interest in masturbation the more he attempted to it, it’s actually meant to serve as a microcosm for (1) Hank’s obsession with Sarah and (2) Hank’s deep imaginary relationship with Manny, which ends up being a replacement for his obsession with Sarah.

Throughout the film, we discover that Hank went from seeing Sarah on the public bus, to taking her picture, to following her on social media, and possibly stalking her. Unable to make a move or communicate with her, all of his energy proves a waste, and he gets no return investment from her. Exhausted, depressed, and feeling outcast in general, Hank had reached the point of diminished return, which brings us to the opening scene of the movie: Hank is attempting suicide and, judging by the ending of the movie, we can probably assume he was actually somewhere near Sarah’s house when he tried to attempt it.

Then upon seeing Manny’s body wash up on shore, Hank is provided with a distraction from reality. While the situation ultimately saves him from attempting suicide, it sets him up for another diminishing return. Once Manny becomes animated, Hank begins to put in Maximum effort again, this time to create an imaginary world where he wouldn’t even need Sarah. It’s clear during the film that he still has Sarah on his mind, and even uses Manny to filter her…however, Hank also develops romantic feelings for Manny. Furthermore, during the campfire/bear scene, Hank brings up the idea of not returning to society; the two joke about starting their own band, living in their own world, etc. However, since Manny’s deep friendship is nothing short of imaginary, its bound to catch up with Hank at some point. Hank is subconsciously aware that Manny is dead, and emotionally investing in a fantasy life with him is as much a waste of energy as investing his time in Sarah. Thus, when he senses reaching the Law of Diminishing Return with Manny, he reverts to one last-ditch effort to try and get Sarah’s attention: showing up in her backyard.

**I believe this theme is even more expansive and deservers more exploration, especially in relation to how mental health, self-discovery, and self-confidence are portrayed in this film. I don’t have time to expand on it at the moment, but will probably leave this section as a work-in-progress. **

Man vs nature:

This is perhaps the least expansive theme of the four, however, it remains a vital backdrop throughout Swiss Army Man. At first, Hank struggles to survive in the wilderness before discovering Manny’s “swiss army knife” capabilities, he eventually learns to embrace the freedom that comes from being in Nature. Having stepped away from an evolved, civilized society, both protagonists now find themselves in a setting where they can create their own world without judgment. It’s only fitting, seeing as they are railing against the same society…which we later realize Hank left on purpose either for cognizant reasons, psychological distress, or both.

Thus, partway through the film, the struggle of Man V (literal) Nature morphs into man struggling versus his own nature, which transmutes into the next major theme:

Hank and Manny holding hands on “The Bus”

Man vs Himself:

As soon as Hank and Manny safely adapt to their natural surroundings, the forest transitions into a mere setting for Hank’s personal exploration. It’s no coincidence that the corpse ends up having the name “Manny”.  The name serves to communicate the dynamic struggle between Hank(himself) versus Man(ny), the latter representing another version of Hank himself. Doubling as Hank’s foil, Manny has everything Hank doesn’t: no insecurities, no fears, no past or context to define him, and therefore ultimately no limitations to the life he can create. Hank uses the blank canvas to his own advantage and starts exploiting Manny’s character to help explore his own. Eventually, he takes it too far, to the point where he starts living vicariously through Manny. At that point, Hank is leading both of them to believe that Sarah is a woman in Manny’s life, not Hanks.

While Hank has small areas of personal growth throughout the film (again, all experienced vicariously through his imagination of Manny) such as forming a deeper connection with someone, exploring confidence, and creatively adapting to his surroundings, he still fails to be fully comfortable with himself. Before the final scenes, he pretends to be Manny and acquires his identity when the police question him.

It’s only in the final scene where we see that Hank is comfortable with both the new and old parts of himself. In a subtle way, he acknowledges that he’s still an outcast of “normal” society, but that he embraces it. He also embraces the newfound freedom and self-confidence he has, hence his open admittance of farting in the in the final scene. He also doesn’t fight his arrest at the end, after envisioning his ideal farewell to Manny.

Actor Paul Dano, who plays Hank, provides further explanation regarding the character development:

“For me, it’s probably about loving yourself, kind of? I think it’s about learning to have fun and be happy again. I think it’s about connection and finding your people in this world, where you can be yourself…[T]he singing in the film, along with the farting and the boner jokes, is a reminder that humans in nature revert to a state without artificially imposed stigmas or shame. Singing in the film was something that really reminded me of being a younger and freer person in the world, because kids sing all the time, without thinking about it. In the woods, we sort of got a reprieve. It was truly make-believe, different from other films.”   Source: Observer

Individual vs Society

As we learn about Hank’s social estrangement in regards to his family, love life, and intrapersonal situations in general, it becomes clear that he believes he doesn’t fit in with society. The directors do an impressive job using the exploration of Man V Nature and Man V Man themes, gracefully highlighting the trauma that Hank feels as a social outcast. Daniels’ also pay homage to this theme in the “bonding” montage, specifically where Hank uses puppets to re-enact films. All of the films re-enacted are those which carried the main theme of misunderstood individuals/groups vs Society: E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, Godzilla, Jurassic Park, etc

As with the other themes, it’s not until the final scenes of the film where the scale of his detachment from society comes to fruition. Moreover, Hank seems to have an emotional and/or psychological detachment from reality as well.An interesting take that Swiss Army Man has on this theme is that while the protagonist Hank succeeded in finding himself, it did not work out to his overall advantage. While he’s at peace with himself and has won the Man vs Himself battle, in the end he’s still seen as outcast to the rest of society, actually even moreso than before.

Regardless, by the end of the film, the Daniels directors have managed to merge all of these themes together in the film’s final, iconic “It was me…” farting scene, where Hank is comfortable with both himself, his imagined animation of Manny, and his awareness of how society now views him.

Sleep

Graphite on paper, used base portrait for reference. Hope to start painting with color soon!

Yours Eternally,

R.F.

Told You So

How tired have you grown, from my swaying back and fourth? Struggling to catch me forge a smile. Barely staying on course. But you were the New Mother, the thickest Lover; nothing but Light, and none like no other. Didn’t you lie that you’d save me? A stone. Like endless folds in a blanket that never seem to come undone. Both of us gulled into thinking I’m your One. And now for eternity we’ve waited here, suffocating in the Big Fantasy Sky; neglecting everything we pass. Perpetually stuck, me weighting us under without a chance to last. Told you so.

There is no Real Love

[How Dare] We Sit Quietly

 

There was a dull beauty about her…a profound intellect that was plain and well-dressed with naivety, never experienced by love. She was a hidden trinket left in the corner of a bottom drawer, collecting dust. Waiting to be used, she stared at the boy across from her. He was her first pulse, rippling through an infinite sea.

Candy-Apple Red

I was always your cracked bowl that couldn’t hold…
Another half-lit cigarette you smoked out of boredom
Begging you to melt me into your mold –
Make me your perfect girl.
But I could never be worth your time
Just His doll in a summer run,
Your perfect porcelain puppet
Glazed over in the sun.

 

EX MACHINA: A Film Analysis of Color Symbolism

A still from Alex Garland’s Ex Machina

Previously well-known for writing the sci-fi horror film 28 Days Later, Alex Garland recently released his directorial debut, Ex Machina. The sci-fi thriller revolves around a young computer programmer, Caleb, who is selected to take part in an AI experiment at the home of his company’s CEO, Nathan. Caleb takes part in Turing tests in order to determine if an AI, Ava, can pass for a sentient being. From the first scenes, the film is brilliantly inundated with religious, cultural, philosophical, and scientific references. Most of these analogies, metaphors, and symbols are seemingly endless and even subtle at times, a great example being the sephriotic tree of life pattern that’s depicted on the wall during the dance scene.

However, aside from receiving widespread praise for it’s creative plot and philosophical commentary on artificial intelligence, Garland has also shown himself to be a genius when it comes to semiotic composition: his use of color is what stands out in nearly every scene of the film. Color representation in film is certainly nothing new, a prime example being Mary Crane’s character in Psycho: she’s first seen wearing white clothing and lingerie, however she’s then shown wearing all black after having become an outlaw. The same goes for the protagonist in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Jen, who transitions from wearing white to red after she falls in love.

With Ex Machina, however, I am particularly intrigued by the saturated use of color as a transitional expression for each character, as well as for the overall progression of the plot. I’ll first dissect the extensive color representation of each main character, and will then touch on the color as depicted in the film’s set.

The following colors are highlighted in Ex Machina:

Green: inexperience, self-awareness, renewal, life, vigor

Red: compassion, anger, excitement, power, vengeance, violence

Blue: tranquility, truth, trust, comfort, commitment, stability, calmness

Black: power, formality, wealth, fear, anger, remorse, evil, guilt

White: precision, purity, peace, reverence, love, innocence

Gray: neutrality, indecisiveness, confusion

Caleb (played by Domnhall Gleeson) as the computer programmer that works for Nathan’s company, Bluebook.

CALEB

In the opening scene, we first see Caleb wearing a color-blocked red and blue shirt. The juxtaposition of red and blues demonstrates that he clearly has the capacity to exhibit both sets of characteristics, but hasn’t yet learned how to coexist with them yet. The blatant separation could also signify an upcoming struggle within himself. Out of all 3 characters, Caleb’s colors seem to alternate the most, which is fitting due to his malleable personality.  Ultimately, his poor confidence and desire to seek approval is what leads to his literal and figurative imprisonment. It may also be worth noting that Caleb has red hair, and works for a company called Bluebook.

Following this opening scene, Caleb is shown with a red/white/blue striped shirt, black pants and blazer, gray and white shoes, and a blue suitcase when he first meets Nathan. He’s the color-coded epitome of confusion and self-doubt, and his choice of wearing primarily black seems to indicate his social desire to impress his CEO (whose primary color is black). His blue tones, perhaps the truest testament of who he is, have been reduced to a mere accessory for this scene.

During most of the movie, Caleb is shown in blue-toned shirts and jeans, and sporadically wears the color throughout to film to represent his desire to find the truth. Blue is also the lighting color that denotes which areas of the house Caleb’s key-card allows him access to; eventually, however, he steals Nathan’s card and is able to access the red-lit areas. As discussed below, the fluctuation between colors indicates his inability to maintain intellectual innocence and to stay calm.

Aside from wearing blues early on, Caleb is also shown wearing gray, but only when having deep personal conversations with Nathan. This represents his anxiety and indecisiveness when around Nathan. In nearly every scene where the two interact, Caleb acts as the submissive and lacks confidence to contradict Nathan or answer his questions honestly, hence the neutral “gray” tones that are embodied.

Caleb, shown in grey, and Nathan(played by Oscar Isaac), shown in his characteristic black

As time progresses, Caleb is shown again wearing blue, gray and red (his New Balance shoes) when around Ava. As the plot unfolds, his colors become more aggressive to reflect his emotional change and struggle: during scenes where he’s wearing a red and blue pinstripe shirt, he simultaneously begins exhibiting eccentric behavior; after discovering that Nathan’s personal assistant is actually an AI, Caleb questions his own self-awareness (symbolized by the color green, of which none can be found inside the house), and harms himself in an attempt to determine his mortality. As previously mentioned, he also gains access to the red-lit areas around this time.

Caleb shown around the climax of the film,  wearing his pinstripe shirt

In regards to the film’s overall semantics, there is an iconic shot where Caleb’s programming information is refused by the house’s security system. The room lighting turns red for “lock down”, and Caleb is shown looking up, wearing all black in a sea of red lighting. At this point, his situational and emotional standpoint has become a mirror image of Nathan’s; while both were “trapped” by the AI phenomena in different ways, they still essentially lost sight of who they were because of the technology. Hence why neither of them are released into nature in the end (again, the green is representational of awareness, life, renewal). This is the last color representation we see of Caleb.

One of my favorite shots from Ex Machina: a clear juxtaposition of blues and blacks

NATHAN 

The first interaction that the audience sees with Nathan–while indirect–is Caleb being escorted in Nathan’s black helicopter. His house is also black and shale-colored. While black is Nathan’s most accurate and frequented portrayal throughout the film, gray and white are also used to communicate his attempts at getting away from his own dark persona, of which he is quite aware of. As with Caleb, we learn by the end of the film that his love/hate relationship with the robots is what led to his instability.

Nathan in gray after working out

Nathan only wears gray when exercising or using his punching bag; he reveals the desire to exercise after having nights of heavy drinking. Again, attempting to distance himself from his true nature.

Nathan only wears white on two occasions. The first scene (see below) depicts Nathan and Caleb in the robotics lab, or “creation room”. Not only is he calm during this, but we also see him let down his walls and share his love for research with Caleb. There’s also the obvious reference to purity, creation, and “playing God”, something that’s touched on regularly in Ex Machina.

The second time we see Nathan in white is during his last day alive; I knew beforehand that Nathan would turn down the alcohol Caleb offered, simply because he had a white shirt on in that scene. The detox he decided to undergo is a direct attempt at finding purity and piece of mind, even if it was just so he could foil Caleb’s plan to save Ava.

1 of 2 instances where Nathan wears white. Note that Caleb is wearing a gray, white, and green shirt.

AVA

We initially see Ava’s artificial body as gray and blue, and naturally take on the same neutral (even empathetic) feelings towards her as we did with Caleb. However, once Ava takes on more personality and even dresses herself, we realize that the gray tones are not a true reflection of who she is; they are simply what Nathan decided to give her.

Ava, portrayed by Alicia Vikander

The first time we see Ava in clothing, she’s wearing a blue floral dress (with some red interspersed), a blue cardigan, and white stockings.  After seeing the ending of the movie, we’re aware that at this point, she’s purposefully mimicking Caleb’s emotional status and color representation in order for him to feel sympathetic towards her. As the movie continues and Caleb’s colors alternate, so do Ava’s. She begins wearing clothing that has more red than blue.

Then there’s the transition period during the climax, where Ava, now ‘free’ and able to be her true self, no longer needs to gain Caleb’s trust and she stops wearing the colored clothing. In a beautifully symbolic scene of her discovering her inner peace and sense of self, she then comes across a deactivated AI donning a white dress. Studying it as a revelation, she removes the dress and puts it on herself, and we see her wearing it as she exits the house and walks out into the woods(green and white).

In the final scene of Ava near the intersection, she’s wearing a white shirt, so we are to assume that this scene takes place well into the future, and that Ava is adjusting to society.

SCENE ANALYSIS: The Use of Color as a Set

Green

In Ex Machina, there’s a bold line between the natural world (green, nature, finding onenness with oneself) and the artificial world (the house, instability, uncertainty). The most literal representation of this is the black and gray exterior of Nathan’s house in comparison to the lush green surroundings; the glass walls allow those inside to get as close to nature without actually being in it.

Notice the green lampshade in the background; Garland planted small references to nature throughout the set

Garland sporadically shows green inside the house; aside from beer bottles, a lampshade, and a small patch of wheat grass on the shelf, we rarely see the color close to the characters. There is a direct correlation between the lack of green inside the house, and the amount of cohesiveness/self-awareness that Nathan’s A.I. experiment ends up depriving all three main characters of while they’re inside.

As we see Ava in all white, she’s finally able to fulfill her path to self-discovery, and therefore is able to fully appreciate being in nature. Both Nathan and Caleb become too attached to the AI experiment, donned in black and unable to appreciate the simplicities that come from nature. Thus, they aren’t able to leave the house and become immersed in green.

Red and Blue

Nathan’s house is saturated with red and blue: while all other surfaces have neutral colors, his carpets are a stark red. His access colors to each room are depicted by either red or blue lights.

The tree of life pattern is depicted in the background while Nathan and his AI give kick-ass moves. Note the colors used: red, blue, white (her dress) and black

One of the most interesting (and hilarious) scenes is undoubtedly the dance scene. It’s a pivotal scene where Caleb is becoming more conflicted after realizing Nathan’s instability. The use of red and blue lighting perfectly reflects Caleb’s inner struggle during the dance sequence.

Black and White

The use of black and white becomes even more prominent after Nathan mentions “Mary’s Room”, or Jackson’s Knowledge Argument. Nathan paraphrases the thought experiment: Mary lives in a black and white room her entire life, reads and watches TV in only black and white, yet is educated on all properties of color, to the point where she feels that the concept of ‘color’ is fully understood. She’s let out of the room one day, only to encounter the color RED for the first time. Her visual and physical understanding of “red” has enlightened new information to her, proving that part of knowledge is the actual experience.

This philosophy essentially argues that Ava can live in her confined space with unlimited internet access to knowledge(as Nathan says), content in believing that she knows everything about the world without ever feeling the need to actually experience the world. Furthermore, since she isn’t “human”, she doesn’t need to. Of course, the conclusion of the Knowledge Argument is that once Ava is to actually experience something first-hand (in this case, freedom and nature: green), she gains additional perspective and more knowledge on the subject, confirming that learning without experiencing is not considered true “knowledge”. This would also qualify her as more human than not. The catch with Ex Machina is that Ava already knows that she needs to experience more.

This also ties in with why Nathan is portrayed in Black and White. Much like Mary’s Room, he’s trapped himself inside of his home research, and refuses to experiment with it fully by letting his creations live their own lives. His fluctuation between the two colors shows that he’s stuck in a cycle of close-mindedness.

Ava, on the other hand, does not have a struggle between the two. She’s already aware that experience is necessary to gain a full understanding of life, and she embraces the idea openly. This goes back to her putting on the white dress.

Overall, one could say that the Garland’s artistic use of color goes far beyond character and plot traits; it most certainly fits in with the more philosophical and religious approaches, from Jackson Pollock’s painting to Gnosticism, to Jackson’s Knowledge Experiment. Unfortunately, I might lose my mind if I tried connecting every single dot. As stated before though, the significant amount of color-coding is what added on another layer of appreciation for me. Surely there are other movies on par with Machina in that sense, but it still deserves to be highlighted.