In March, HBO Max removed several popular films, including V for Vendetta, The Whale, and more, with others planned to leave by the end of April. However, this is simply the nature of streaming services with expiring licenses and deals, with one particular sci-fi gem set to disappear.
By the end of the month, subscribers will lose access to an especially prestigious line of films, like Inception, Spider-Man, Little Miss Sunshine, and Alex Garland's critically acclaimed directorial debut, Ex Machina. A writer in Hollywood for decades, most famous for writing 28 Days Later, Garland's original sci-fi drama couldn't be a better film from a first-time director.
With multiple accolades, including an Oscar, there are plenty of reasons users should check out Garland's 10/10 sci-fi masterpiece before it leaves HBO Max in 2 weeks.
A Science-Fiction Masterpiece
Alex Garland's Ex Machina was released in 2014 to critical and audience acclaim, achieving a Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 92% critic score and an 86% audience score. It was even nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Visual Effects at the 88th Academy Awards, winning the latter for its achievement in bringing its lead artificial android to life.
As for Garland's original screenplay, Ex Machina follows a programmer, Caleb Smith, who is invited by his eccentric CEO, Nathan Bateman, to help administer the Turing test to Ava, his newest in a line of sophisticated robots. However, Smith begins to fall in love with Ava and eventually even helps her escape Bateman's control.
The reason Ex Machina received such acclaim was not only for its spectacular VFX team turning Vikander into a skinless android, but also for its cast's performances and for its exploration of the dehumanization and objectification of women through the lens of artificial intelligence.
Compared to his hammy role as the villain Hux in the Star Wars sequels, Domhnall Gleeson gives a far more subdued performance as Caleb Smith in Ex Machina. A lonely man who believes themselves to be a good person, despite his selfish impulses disguised as kindness.
Alicia Vikander's Ava plays opposite him, hiding her heightened awareness and greater intelligence from Caleb and her creator. A performance that strikes a fine balance between subtle manipulation and a genuine attempt to relate to Caleb.
But by far the biggest standout in Ex Machina is Oscar Isaac, who lets loose as an unhinged, morally bankrupt tech-billionaire bent on subverting the will of his creations as he would any human being.
However, not to be forgotten is Sonoya Mizuno's small but impactful role as Bateman's maidservant, Kyoko. Most recently starring in Star Wars: Visions, Mizuno's silent performance as Kyoko greatly contributes to the development and journey of all three characters.
If HBO Max users have already seen Ex Machina, there's still a benefit to revisiting it with a fresh new perspective, especially after knowing the twist. On a first watch, the audience is in Caleb Smith's shoes, but in a second, they're in Nathan Bateman's, knowing everything about his experiment and not left in the dark like Caleb.
