The perfect debut for director Alex Garland

Rating: 10/10 (14 June 2015)

Ex Machina is a film that I was gutted to miss out on when it was in cinemas. I heard nothing but positive things about it and now I know why. It is certainly one of the best films I have seen this year.
Alex Garland, known for his writing on both 28 Days Later and Sunshine, makes his directorial debut and believe me when I say that it is one of the most impressive debuts I have ever seen.
Garland's film explores themes such as artificial intelligence and the human mind, in particular how it can be manipulated and the question of whether you can really tell what a person is really thinking.
If I'm honest, I felt throughout that something bad was going to happen however saying that, I was utterly shocked at the way it did go. Predictability can be a weakness in films but the ending totally threw me in Ex Machina.
Quite often, films about artificial intelligence run at a slow pace that may not suit some; just look at Blade Runner as an example. When a film is so dedicated to and intricate in its storytelling, I can't help but sit back and take it all in, no matter if it is a slow burner.
The film is helped by some truly wonderful performances from the main three members of the cast. Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander and Oscar Isaac all delve so much in to the psyche of their characters, Vikander in particular making it believable that she isn't human after all.
Ex Machina is one of the most thought provoking films of the last decade. Period.