*Ex Machina* certainly appears well-crafted and begins with an interesting concept, but ultimately, I didn't find it as clever as it seemed to think it was. The notion of evaluating the awareness of an artificial being is appealing, however, the film repeatedly presents its predictable plot developments and somewhat hazy philosophical conversations as if they represent significant discoveries. The environment feels clinical, and the acting is adequate, but the characters came across more like props used to engineer a particular conclusion. Caleb’s actions were often bewildering, Nathan felt like an exaggerated depiction of brilliance, and the film's treatment of gender issues seemed superficial. Ultimately, I wasn't swayed by what was intended as ambiguity; it simply felt like a stylish, conventional thriller attempting to portray itself as more substantial than it truly is.

Source on TMDB