Ex Machina: Movie Review

The review below is a mini-review which was part of my 2015 SXSW recap from last month. You can read the full recap here.

Alex Garland has proven himself as a solid genre writer with “28 Days Later” and “Sunshine”. He now pulls double duty as writer/director with the sci-fi thriller “Ex Machina”. Most people that I had spoken to during SXSW 2015 named “Ex Machina” as their favorite film of the fest. Although I really enjoyed it and can understand the love for it, I don’t rank it as my top pick. However, this could very well be one of the best sci-fi films I have seen in years. “Ex Machina” also features what I consider Oscar Isaac’s best performance to date and also features some great cinematography thanks to Rob Hardy.

The story centers on Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), a young programmer who wins the chance to spend the week at a secluded estate owned by his boss Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac). Caleb soon learns that he wasn’t picked randomly and that in fact he was chosen to take part in a top secret Artificial Intelligence project. Ava (Alicia Vikander) is the robot with A.I. that just might be as deceptive as she is sophisticated. “Ex Machina” is a must see for fans of the genre.

By: Marc Ferman