Ex Machina
Performance & Direction: Ex Machina Review
Last updated: February 15, 2026
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Ex Machina (2015) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a SUPER HIT with a verified audience rating of 7.6/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Drama.
Cast Performances: A Masterclass
The success of any Drama is often anchored by its ensemble, and Ex Machina features a noteworthy lineup led by Domhnall Gleeson . Supported by the likes of Alicia Vikander and Oscar Isaac , the performances bring a palpable realism to the scripted words.
Performance Analysis: The lead actors exhibit a remarkable range, navigating the emotional peaks and valleys of their respective characters with a precision that makes every motivation feel earned.
Final Verdict: Is it Worth Watching?
Story & Plot Summary: Ex Machina
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2015, Ex Machina is a Drama, Science Fiction film directed by Alex Garland. The narrative explores complex human emotions and relationships through detailed character development. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Domhnall Gleeson.
Story Breakdown
This character-driven narrative explores the internal and external conflicts that define the human experience. Caleb, a coder at the world's largest internet company, wins a competition to spend a week at a private mountain retreat belonging to Nathan, the reclusive CEO of the company. But when Caleb arrives at the remote location he finds that he will have to participate in a strange and fascinating experiment in which he must interact with the world's first true artificial intelligence, housed in the body of a beautiful robot girl. The screenplay takes time to develop Domhnall Gleeson's journey, allowing audiences to connect emotionally with their struggles and triumphs. Each scene builds upon the last, creating a cumulative emotional impact.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: We meet the main character in their ordinary world, establishing the emotional baseline before the inciting incident disrupts their life.
- Character Arc: The protagonist, portrayed by Domhnall Gleeson, undergoes a meaningful transformation, with their journey feeling earned and emotionally resonant. Supporting characters are well-developed, each serving a purpose in the narrative.
- Climax & Resolution: The emotional climax brings character arcs to their natural conclusion, providing catharsis while staying true to the story's core themes.
Thematic Depth
The film delves into universal human experiences including love, loss, identity, and belonging. It holds up a mirror to society, asking difficult questions about morality, choice, and consequence.
What Works & What Doesn't
✅ Strengths
- Exceptional storytelling that balances entertainment with substance
- Strong performances, especially from Domhnall Gleeson, that bring depth to the characters
- Technical excellence in cinematography, editing, and sound design
⚠️ Weaknesses
- Minor pacing issues that do not significantly detract from the experience
- A few underdeveloped subplots
Ending Explained: Ex Machina
Ending Breakdown: Directed by Alex Garland, Ex Machina resolves its central conflict while maintaining thematic consistency. The finale has been praised for its approach to drama resolution.
The emotional climax centers on character transformation involving Domhnall Gleeson, creating a memorable conclusion that audiences have responded to positively.
Ending Analysis:
- Narrative Resolution: The story concludes with clear resolution of its central conflicts, providing closure while maintaining some ambiguity.
- Character Arcs: Main characters complete meaningful transformations, reflecting the film's thematic priorities.
- Thematic Payoff: The ending reinforces the drama themes in a way that feels organic to the story.
The final moments of Ex Machina demonstrate careful narrative planning, offering an ending that aligns with the film's tone and style.
Who Should Watch Ex Machina?
Highly Recommended For:
- Fans of Drama cinema looking for quality storytelling
- Viewers who appreciate emotionally resonant character studies and meaningful themes
- Anyone seeking a well-crafted film that delivers on its promises
Box Office Collection: Ex Machina
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $15.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $36.9M |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
Ex Machina Budget
The estimated production budget for Ex Machina is $15.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: Ex Machina
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Where to Watch Ex Machina Online?
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Amazon VideoEx Machina Parents Guide & Age Rating
2015 AdvisoryWondering about Ex Machina age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Ex Machina is 108 minutes (1h 48m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 7.6/10, and global performance metrics, Ex Machina is classified as a SUPER HIT. It remains an essential part of the 2015 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ex Machina worth watching?
Ex Machina is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Drama movies. It has a verified rating of 7.6/10 and stands as a SUPER HIT in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Ex Machina parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Ex Machina identifies it as R. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Ex Machina?
The total duration of Ex Machina is 108 minutes, which is approximately 1h 48m long.
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How Ex Machina Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for Ex Machina
When you think you have seen everything about AI movies, Ex Machina arrives and gives a very nice perspective on the matter. The movie goes quick, not many things happen but they are clever, very well thought. The story is more focused in the moral problems of the human main character rather than in the awe of the creation nor the existencial problem of the AI. The cast is all great, from Vikander to Mizuno, Glee and great Oscar Isaac. A real must to watch if you are into the topic.
**Enjoyable, satisfying sci-fi** Kinda smutty, kinda creepy, kinda evil, thoroughly enjoying. OK, there's nothing mind shattering but still good fun and a nice pay off imho. For those complaining it was predictable - if you want something you CANNOT ever predict go watch Predestination https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/206487-predestination Something about it hit the right chords for me, modern, start up, big loud talker, sad lonely guy.... I've seen lots of those geeks turned CEO's and they don't know what they've become. Actually more to be said about the Nathan character than the rest. Definitely worth a watch if you like dark humour and sci-fi.
Isn't it strange, to create something that hates you? Ex Machina is written and directed by Alex Garland. It stars Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander, Oscar Isaac and Sonoya Mizuno. Music is by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury and cinematography by Rob Hardy. A young programmer is thrilled to be selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment involving synthetic intelligence. He's to evaluate the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid Artificial Intelligence known as Ava... Your nutshell review is that it's a cautionary tale of science going too far, where the narrative thrust of a Turin Test becomes something far darker and troubling. This is a deliberately slow paced sci-fier, told out of a remote reinforced science institute populated by just one human and some A.I. creations. Enter Caleb (Gleeson), who doubles the human quotient and kicks starts what is a cunningly sexy, troubling and potent picture. As we are drawn into this most fascinating world, we are requested to pose ourselves the deeper questions about being human, for better or worse. This is nothing new, this has been explored in many other sci-fi pictures, but the intensity of the set-up, the performance of the actors in this intimate surround, for sure engage the patiently interested. The ending is plain daft, even irresponsible when one considers how much thought has gone into the story previously, but mostly this is a genre piece of considerable worth. 8/10
I thought the story was both interesting and believable on some levels. I have no doubt that an AI would eventually turn on a creator, especially since most creators don't think of artificial intelligence as anything other than a tool to use and dispose of. Be careful what you wish for, if you try to create a life through AI, don't be surprised if it has a mind of its own.⭐⭐⭐⭐
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.













