Netflix Has Just Added One of the Best Sci-Fi Movies of The 21st Century

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Great news for science fiction lovers: Netflix has added a fantastic, yet often overlooked, sci-fi film to its streaming service. It’s a movie that improves with each watch and boasts an impressive 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Though the story isn’t entirely original, it’s presented in a unique and captivating way, creating a consistently unsettling and thought-provoking experience throughout its 1 hour and 48-minute duration.

Alex Garland’s 2014 film, Ex Machina, masterfully creates a growing sense of dread. The story follows Caleb, a programmer who unexpectedly wins a contest to spend a week at the secluded home of his company’s CEO, the mysterious Nathan Bateman. Caleb soon learns the contest wasn’t about the trip itself, but about participating in a Turing test – evaluating the intelligence and consciousness of Ava, a remarkably realistic robot created by Bateman. It quickly becomes clear that Ava is much more aware and independent than anyone anticipated, and she’s secretly pursuing her own agenda.

Ex-Machina is a Perfect Warning About Artificial Intelligence

Despite the underlying tension, the movie is strangely captivating and even sensual. It’s driven by conversation rather than action, and skillfully tells a compelling and intense story with a small cast. The plot twists feel natural and well-deserved, highlighting director Alex Garland’s talent. As Joseph Tomastik of Loud and Clear Reviews notes (giving the film a 5/5 rating), it explores the boundary between humans and artificial intelligence, and the moment that line is crossed.

Viewers who weren’t critics also loved the film, calling it a thought-provoking sci-fi thriller and praising its relevance to current discussions about AI – even predicting the topic’s rise to prominence. Many highlighted the excellent acting and stunning visuals, recommending it as a must-see. One viewer gave it a 4-star rating, specifically praising Ava’s captivating performance, the film’s unique take on the Turing test, Oscar Isaac’s dance sequence, and how the cold, sterile setting reflected the characters’ psychology. Their only minor criticism was that the ending felt a little too tidy.

With Ex-Machina now available on Netflix again, it’s a great time to watch this thought-provoking film – and maybe feel a little uneasy about the possibility of robots taking over the world!

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2026-02-03 00:10