I thought Ex-Machina was pretty good. A second viewing might make it great. That does not mean that it is the kind of movie you need to watch twice to appreciate - it is anything but - but going back in knowing what to expect might help overlook its rougher edges. It did feel like what it actually is - the directorial debut of an accomplished screenwriter.
The script is solid and well-balanced, often absorbing and sometimes even funny. The performances are good across the board, especially that of Oscar Isaac's, who did not have it easy but made his character work. The film alternates between moments of very efficient, cost-cutting mise-en-scene (the entire premise is expedited through a 20-second wordless scene right after the title cards), and a more unpolished aspect at other times.
Ex-Machina revels in letting its characters breathe and interact with each other, without a care in the world for big useless words such as "reassuring", "expected", or "structure". It breezes through its scenes, but feels like it allows each and every one of them enough time to make their mark. Not all of them are handled well however, especially in the later stages of the film, and the score and sound design felt heavy-handed at times.
Overall the movie might have benefited from having a more experienced filmmaker at the helm, but it is definitely its own thing, which is the best thing I can say about a movie in these dark times of franchises, sequels and reboots.
