Sentences with phrase «vicious psychological manipulation»

Writer and director Alex Garland manages to take a high - concept premise — a reclusive, Steve Jobs - like genius (Oscar Isaac) invites a young employee (Domhnall Gleeson) to test the android he created (Alicia Vikander) to see if she's truly intelligent — and tuns it into a claustrophobic, tense thriller, as the three circle each other through an hour and a half of vicious psychological manipulation and constant shifts in the balance of power.