Hey, guys! We are back again with our weekly recommendations! This time, we have an outstanding sci-fi psychological thriller for you that will surely blow your mind. We are talking about Alex Garland’s 2014 film, Ex Machina, starring Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, and Alicia Vikander.
‘Ex Machina’ revolves around an ordinary-looking programmer, Caleb Smith (Gleeson), who wins an office contest and gets a chance to stay with his CEO, Nathan Bateman (Isaac), at his luxurious but isolated home. Nathan discloses that he has built Ava, a humanoid robot with artificial intelligence. She attracts Nathan’s attention after passing the Turing Test, forcing him to think if she is actually capable of thinking and gaining consciousness. He also asks for Caleb’s help to connect with her despite knowing she is entirely artificial.
As Caleb interacts with Ava, he questions her true motives and his own reality, paving the way for a tense and spine-chilling exploration of manipulation, deception, consciousness and the thin line between robots and humans.
‘Ex Machina’ received critical acclaim for exploring complex themes like consciousness, the blurred lines between robots and humans, and concerns regarding the usage of AI. In addition, the direction, production and sound design, visuals, and overall atmosphere are the film’s brightest points. As for the performances, Alicia Vikander steals the show with her sensational and bone-chilling portrayal of Ava. Also, Oscar Issac’s take on the eccentric CEO, Nathan Bateman, received praise as well. Overall, the film is a must-watch!
The film has a ‘fresh’ score of 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 289 reviews.
Stream ‘Ex Machina’ on Netflix. Enjoy!