User reviews

Set in 2041, Alex Garel (Daniel Bruhl) is a famous scientific who after 10 years goes to back to his home town to work in his old university . There the shy genius is employed by his former university professor (Anne Canovas) to design robot soft ware . Later on , Alex meets his brother David (Alberto Ammann) , his wife Lana (Marta Etura) and Eva (Claudia Vega) , Alex's 10-years-old niece . Meantime , Alex is assisted by a servant-robot (Luis Homar as the sympathetic android Max) . Looking for inspiration , Alex asks help Eva to be the example the new robot , and to survey her behavior during the time they spend together . The cutest girl Eva fascinates him and he soon begins research so that a robot can take on her personality , making emotional tests and watching attitude to configure its existence .

This Sci-Fi film contains fantasy , drama , a tragic love story , thought-provoking issues and is pretty interesting . This is an exciting film though relies heavily on the programmer-Eva , Brother-Brother Relationship and the loving triangle is regularly developed . A movie about childhood , robots , love , it has more than its share of beauty , mysteries and wonders . This good picture takes parts here and there from ¨A.I.¨ by Steven Spielberg , ¨Metropolis¨ by Fritz Land and ¨I Robot¨ written by Isaac Asimov . Good performances from Daniel Bruhl as a well-known robot programmer , his friend played by Anne Canovas who brings him a project to create a new line of robot child and special mention to the girl Clara Lago as the muse of the new robot . Furthermore Alex's former lover and David's current wife well played by Marta Etura along with her husband finely performed by Albert Ammann . In addition , the veteran Luis Homar as likable android Max . Mesmerizing , miraculous and state-of-art special effects , spiced with mechanical cats , horse-robots and other marvelous artifacts . Glamorous and luxurious Cinematography by Arnau Valls Colomer , being filmed on location in Panticosa, Huesca, Aragón, Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain , La Chaux-de-Fonds, Canton Neuchâtel, Switzerland and final scene in Tenerife, Canary Islands . Emotive and sensitive Original Music by Evgueni Galperine and co-composer Sacha Galperine . The motion picture was elegantly directed by Kike Maillo at his best and being hist first film , formerly making various shorts .

The 26th Annual Goya Awards (Premios Goyas), presented by the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences, it is "Spain's main national film awards, considered by many in Spain, and internationally, to be the Spanish equivalent of the American Academy Awards¨ gave a deserved Goya to New Director , Kike Maillo , for this above average film titled ¨Eva¨ . Rating : Good , worthwhile watching .

Watching this reminds me of the Isaac Asimov robot stories because it feels like the world his stories were set in. There's even an allusion to the Asimov laws of robotics by stating that robots have to pass a safety test and the cat is illegal because it has free will. The effects are well done and the interactions look believable. The animation physics are slightly wrong in a couple scenes but nothing major.

My main problem with the movie is that there isn't enough character development which makes the motives a little ambiguous. The main plot lines are tied up by the end but there's obviously more going on than is ever told. I get just enough to want to know more and that is frustrating.

The sci-fi is light enough that I would probably recommend this to anyone even if they would normally skip anything sci-fi.

In his debut feature film director Kike Maillo went out on a limb when he chose to make a film set in Spain in the not-so-distant- future about the moral dilemmas of artificial intelligence. Spanish sci-fi? Sounds risky but why not? We're getting a new robot-themed film each month now: Chappie, Big Hero 6, Ex-Machina, Age of Ultron, Elysium to name a few of the most recent. So why not a Spanish robot film for a change?

The world "Eva" is set in is indeed intriguing. It is set in an idyllic alpine village so perfect it looks like we're peering inside a souvenir snow globe. People drive around in 1970's SAABs, wear wool sweaters, unwind in pubs with cozy fireplaces and go ice skating every afternoon. The only signs that you are in the future is that there are robots everywhere politely and discretely doing secretarial and house cleaning jobs. There are no drones, no self- driving cars, and no robo-cops (Spain should be optimistic of its future apparently). Robots are either doing menial labor, or, apparently, have been geared towards emotional gratification and the companionship of their creators.

Our protagonist, Alex (Daniel Brühl) is a robotics software developer who is hired to go after the holy grail of robotics: building a prototype of a robot child that is both realistic (that is, spontaneous) as well as safe (that is, predictable). The strength of this film is to show reconciling these two is impossible, and that the essence of being human is precisely that we cannot be both. The secret sauce that makes us human, capable of spontaneity and charm, turns out to be also what makes us irrational, impetuous and dangerous.

After masterfully setting up the premise of the film, the actual execution of the plot starts to falter. The protagonist is supposed to be a genius cybernetic engineer, but his character is mostly a drag and a bore to watch. You start wishing that his robot cat had more screen time. The story also hinges on a love triangle that feels contrived and inane. The robot butler is considerably more entertaining and I ended up wishing he somehow played a bigger part in the plot. The core of the story revolves around how Alex tries to model the emotional life of the android child on his niece (fantastically played by Claudia Vega) and it is these interactions that anchor the film and give it substance. The best scenes deal with the "Turing tests" that Bruno develops, trying to tell apart real child from robot child. The last half hour of the film has some twists which ultimately make the entire film seem better than it felt it was while watching. Still, it is not easy to forgive the director for wasting so much time on love triangle sub-plots and creating hollow characters. The film gets seven stars for its elegant cinematography and its smartly framed premise, but doesn't break much new ground.

When I saw the trailer, I knew I was going to go see it. I love a Sci-Fi, especially the hard sci- Fi like this that keeps it grounded in what the human race can actually do right now.

Robots are not the future they are the present and Eva backs this up with a sci-fi twist as a robot expert works on making a robot with free will while reconnecting with people he left behind and discovering a new friend that will change his work forever.

I did find the story slightly flawed. It seemed like the first few minutes of the movie told too much of what's coming ahead, but maybe the filmmaker met to do that cause the whole expression of a man of science being so emotionally connected was very strong.

The movie spent a lot of time inventing and programming the robot which I loved. It's the good thing the special effects were decent cause that could have ruin this part of the film.

Another fantastic Sci-fi movie from Spain, backing up the Antonio Banderas movie on robots, Automata, and another great robot movie this year which includes Chappie among them.

Eva is a beautiful story well told through cinema. Recommend

A Febiofest screening of this 12 Goya Awards nominated film (with 3 minor wins, includes a BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR win for Lluís Homar, an interesting pick, and a NEW DIRECTOR win for Kike Maíllo), a so-called robot drama has its own glossy moments with a snazzy demeanor of the artificial intelligence simulation gambits (from an engrossing opening credit, an extremely cute robot cat, an efficient robo-servant, Mr. Homar it is, with an adjustable intelligence range). But a prototype of sentimental love triangle gives away its cheeky bathos, eventually all the zeal gathered in the first half falls flat, noticeably with an unexplained motivation of Adam's escape from the previous scientific project. So all the rekindled chemistry is just as willful and affected as some TV-drama schlock.

How the director tackles with the intriguing human Vs. machine topic? A father-daughter affinity is equivocally evocative and claimed to be the best the whole team behind could conspire. With a cutting-edge technology advance located in the unknown future, the film itself is clearly outdated with a least-favored 1990's narcissism in its histrionic screenplay.

The opening sequence has betrayed the imminent repercussion in an unwise way, the so-called secrecy of the film has been hinted several times and brainily doubted in a bathtub scene, which could be the only spark in the plot. The cast is doing well considering nothing extraordinary is laid there, with regard to Homar's winning, a career-achievement accomplishment is the only reasonable speculation by far.

A tangible moment arrives when David Bowie's Space Oddity which is thrillingly fitting for the whole scenery being played during a bar scene, after that, the film leaps into an abyss of sloppiness and bereft of novelty and it's a point of no return.

I watched this film today at the movie theater. The film is beautifully acted and directed. I am very glad to see that in Spain we have new filmmakers able to work within the film industry and still make a great film in the cinematographic sense.

"Eva" is far more profound than the trailer or the publicity may suggest. It is a deep reflection on human nature and identity. But, and here comes the surprise, it is not a so-called intellectual film.

The film is very well done, and it is an example of a new wave of European cinema that is producing great films without necessarily big fireworks. Keep doing the good job, Kike.

EVA would have been a great TV movie, well written, smartly laid out, wonderfully arranged and with some nice cgi robots. And there is even a little movie diamond to be found: the bar scene, including a long panning shot — a container full of highly condensed, highly concentrated energy, very powerful.

But to be pleased as a cinema spectator I need something else, and I think what I have been missing the most is the illusion of real feelings between the actors for each other. The chemistry is not right in EVA, all affection seems forced and empty. Basically the only performance I found believable was how Lluís Homar played, well, a robot.

The second thing still bothering me is that the big twist in the middle of the second act wasn't really a twist, because it was all too clear to me that it had to turn out like that. Please, if you want to fool me, fool me without taking me for a fool. Seduce me elegantly, with grace.

The couple of twists are 100% predictable. Hence the movie offers a spectacular cinematography and nothing else.

I haven't seen any decent sci-films for years. This one came as a very pleasant surprise. Interesting story, good script, well directed and excellent actors. I also enjoyed the photography.

As the story unfolded, I was surprised that I was not correctly predicting the outcome. This made it even more enjoyable. I hate it when I can continuously see what's coming - so boring.

I was also intrigued that a sci-fi film had been made in Spain. Not the sort of genre I would have expected.

As a long-term British resident in Spain, I always find it a source of pleasure when, once again, a quality film is made in this country. Too many Spaniards do not value the excellent level that the local film industry can reach over here.

Overall, a thoroughly well made and enjoyable film for any sci-fi fan, and even for any others who will easily understand the story.

The moment I saw the trailer I knew where the writer and director were going with this. I knew how it would end and what the big reveal would be. Yet I liked the visual and I wanted to see a non-Hollywood film, so I gave it a try. Boy, was this a painful experience.

First of all, we learn nothing about the characters from the beginning or even in what year the film's taking place. If I don't know who the characters are and there are not even hints about their relations, why should I be invested? Why should I care? Imagine you walk into a store and a cashier looks at you for 20 seconds. Is that supposed to mean something? Should I care? No, because it's not someone you met before. The moment you turn around that cashier will be forgotten. And that's just what is going on in this film. From the very beginning there's nothing but long shots of people looking at each other. It might mean something to the characters, and it probably does, but that means nothing to the viewers watching the film. There is a scene where the main character is looking at a woman for 20 or 30 seconds. We don't know who she is, what their history is and their relationship. We don't even know whether there is one. By the time I learnt anything about the characters, I was not interested anymore.

Then there are long exterior shots. Do we really need to see someone drive a long way on an icy road, parking their car, turning off the engine, getting out of the car, locking the door and walking to a building? All that in about 3 minutes of time? What is it supposed to accomplish? Or long shots of the town the film is taking place in? OK, it's nice and covered in snow. What else did you need to say about it that you repeated the shot several times? I won't spoil the big twist, but if you've ever seen a film regarding creation of androids, you'll know it by the time the trailer finishes.

The acting is OK, but the main male lead is just dull and irritatingly boring. I couldn't stand him. The rest of the cast do their jobs well, but they are basically forgettable. And yes, that includes the character of Eva.

I couldn't wait for the film to end. It's tedious, painfully slow and unoriginal. It's got pretty visuals, but that's about it.

I respect independent filmmakers for their efforts and not so rarely they succeed. But this film just felt like a Hollywood production that's trying to pretend it's artsy by having long slow camera movements. A bit faster pace would have helped this time.

noooo.. I loved the movie but hated the ending, it started off kind of slow but I grew to love the main characters. Acting was superb by all imo. I just watched it today on Netflix and cant get the ending out of my mind, the ending was done well, just not the outcome I hoped for. Overall very enjoyable movie for sci fi fans. Original plot and well thought out to me. I looked all over foran alternate happy ending but I guess there isn't one. I hate sad endings for characters I care about. If I was an investor for this movieyou better believe it would have ended differently even if just in theform of an alternate ending. anyone with me? I give this movie 4 out of 5 I would have gave it 5 if it wasn't for the ending. I'm still mad about it.

When I first saw the initial teaser for Eva many years ago I was intrigued, and I hoped dearly that upon release it would deliver what appeared to be a brilliant, understated sci-fi drama with a strong focus on characters.

That first teaser has since been removed, it simply doesn't exist any more on the internet. The promise that once was had disappeared.

Eva is not a clever film, everything you are told and shown only insults the intelligence of the viewer. The plot is far too predictable and heavy handed, this could've perhaps been improved in editing but the amount of material you'd have to cut to get something workable out of this film would leave you with very little remaining. Had this just been any other indie sci-fi I simply wouldn't have cared, but knowing the direction this could have taken in competent hands made it unbearable to watch.

This movie is a European take on artificial intelligence- less action, more interaction.

I found the special effects in this film beautiful and mesmerizing, just enough to engage the imagination in terms of what a robot could and should be and do...

There are two plots- one is that a software engineer is trying to design the perfect robot for entertainment that is free (can do what it wants) and is looking for inspiration in a girl he meets called Eva, the other is that this software engineer is coming back to an awkward situation involving his brother and an ex-girlfriend of his, whom he worked with. Despite other reviews I found it quite well done how both plots intertwined.

As an audio professional I found some sound parts of the film difficult to stomach, especially the party scene where slow-dancing and speaking at the same time-here rough cuts are clearly audible and it's enough to take away from the great use of David Bowie's music in this scene, a real shame.

Beyond that thought I was very impressed with Brühl, that quatri-lingual dreamboat, whom I have until now only seen on German films. It's rare to find somebody who can master and work in fluency. He's definitely found a new fan in me.

Overall a good movie.

Found the meeting if Eva strange offering. a 12 year old sweets outside a school !!

Do mothers still bathe their 12 year old daughters . . .

Strange.

Gorgeous Spanish fairytale set in a realistic not too distant future. Eva sees a robot programmer return to his hometown so he can help program a robot child. First he needs to find inspiration from children in the area.After finding the majority to be boring he comes across a young girl named Eva who just happens to be the daughter of his ex-love. Eva fascinates him and he soon begins research so that a robot can take on her personality, but will her characteristics translate well into the robot world? Eva is a film that remains quiet. It knows its ideas and themes are fascinating and so it underplays them and lets your imagination run away with your own ideas. This is expressed best of all when we are first introduced to the world. There is no huge fanfare or showing off. The robots merely exist in the world with the humans. We first get a glimpse of this when Daniel Bruhl returns home and is followed by a robotic cat. The emotions that are present throughout are truly moving as it asks, in typical robot/man fashion, what it is to be human and can science go too far? Bruhl is a wonderful lead, who clearly gets across his fascination with robots, but also his frustration with them. He really does fail to make the most of his gift, but maybe that is for the best. The cinematography is gorgeous, with Eva's red coat constantly standing out from the snow swept landscapes. An enjoyable and thought provoking drama.

Lets start with the good: the cinematography, and the excellent acting from Daniel Brühl and Lluis Homar. Those represent the 2-star of my rating.

The story is unoriginal, and quite predictable. But the worst is the acting of the annoying brat playing Eva, and of Marta Etura as Lana.

The handful of movies I've seen Marta Etura in convinced me that she can't act to save her life. In this movie, as Alex's love interest, she has zero chemistry with Daniel Brühl. If bad acting doesn't prevent someone from appearing in the role of an attractive woman, she should at least be pretty!

Claudia Vega, the kid playing Eva, lacks talent, is annoyingly bratty from start to finish, and really, really got on my nerves.

Eva is an amazing story about Artificial Intelligence and technology.

The future it takes place in is not so far away, as we already made huge progress in artificial intelligence.

It's a wonderful story of a little girl who assist a guy who design intelligent robots.

The landscape is beautiful, the storyline is perfect, and the suspense is kept until the end.

And at the end, you know that...

Well, watch the film for a huge surprise ! :)

This movie can be watch by anybody in the family, to daughter to grandma.

It's a good idea of where the technology will take us, without being dramatic as Terminator.

This one was like a soft wine, or a good book. As an entry-level sci-fi, it was balanced in all aspects. The logic is sturdy, the special effects are amazing, but not opulent, the dialog and acting are just so natural. If You've seen a few dramas, and love stories, it will probably not make You weep, and if You've seen a bit of sci-fi, it will not blow Your mind with mindfokk concepts. It will not keep You on the edge of the seat all the time either, but it has pleasant pacing and fluctuations appropriate for the concept. In the end, like a story well told, it will leave You with an induced state of thoughtful emotion. And I think, that is what art is all about.

On Tubi, the free streaming site; there is a vast abundance and wide array of low-budget, no-budget trash; which should never ever be seen. And there are a few gems. Odds and ends mostly; and a few foreign films; of which "Eva" is one. It is not a horror film; nor was it ever intended to be. But it is kind of scary. The craft of the child actress is massive! Yeah, see this little movie. I gave it nine stars.