"A thrilling work of sci-fi ... a smart and visually alluring film that contemplates chilling questions about where technology is headed and the consequences of playing God."
"First-time director Alex Garland, known for his associations with Danny Boyle as author of The Beach and screenwriter for 28 Days Later and Sunshine, has crafted a thrilling work of sci-fi with Ex Machina, a smart and visually alluring film that contemplates chilling questions about where technology is headed and the consequences of playing God.
"Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson), a mildmannered coder at Blue Book, the world's dominant Internet search engine, wins a contest to spend a week with the company's reclusive billionaire founder and CEO, Nathan (Oscar Isaac), at his remote home/compound in Alaska. Nathan's ulterior motive is to introduce Caleb to Ava (Alicia Vikander), a robot that he's designed in the lifelike image of a beautiful woman. Caleb is tasked with performing a Turing test on Ava, to see if he can distinguish her artificial intelligence from that of a human, but when her humanity begins to play on his sympathies--Gleeson and Vikander have a captivating and endearing rapport--Caleb starts to question if Nathan has programmed Ava to seduce him, and a psychological power struggle gradually escalates between the three.
"Mark Digby's production design compounds the tension--hi-tech Ava has a limited view to the gorgeous natural landscape outside--while Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury's understated score quietly accentuates the film's mysteries." - Chris Tinkham, Under the Radar
"The less you know going into this mesmerizing mind-bender, the better. But know this: Screenwriter Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Never Let Me Go) has made a striking directing debut with Ex Machina. ... It springs surprises that will haunt you for a good long time." (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone)