In Alex Garland’s 2014 sci-fi thriller, a young programmer named Caleb (Domnhall Gleeson) is invited to stay with the CEO Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac) of the world’s leading search engine in his luxurious and isolated mountain home. Nathan explains that during his weeklong stay, Caleb will get to know Ava (Alicia Vikander), an artificial intelligence machine, and determine whether or not she is capable of consciousness. If Caleb forgets that Ava isn’t human, the experiment will be deemed a success.
Caleb begins to feel an attraction towards Ava, which she seems to reciprocate. But Nathan warns him that she’s only manipulating him so that she can escape to the outside world. Caleb begins to feel paranoid that he’s artificial himself while also becoming increasingly suspicious of Nathan’s behaviour and motivations.
Ava’s incredible mechanical appearance earned the film won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Here are 15 brilliant stills from Ex Machina.
