365days365films

Basic Info / 基本情報

English

Caleb, a young programmer at a world-leading search engine, wins a company lottery to spend a week at the secluded estate of his CEO, Nathan. He soon discovers his true task: to evaluate Ava, the world’s first genuine artificial intelligence. As Caleb interacts with this sophisticated humanoid, the boundary between human and machine begins to erode. Caught between his brilliant creator and the alluring creation, Caleb must decide: is Ava a captive conscious being, or a masterpiece of deception?

日本語

世界最大の検索エンジン企業に勤めるプログラマー、ケイレブは、社内の抽選で創業者ネイサンの別荘に滞在する権利を得ます。しかし、その真の目的は、世界初の真なる人工知能「エヴァ」に対するチューリングテストでした。人間味あふれるエヴァと対話を重ねるうちに、ケイレブは人間と機械の境界線が揺らぐのを感じ始めます。傲慢な天才と囚わ

Cast & Crew / スタッフ・出演

Additional Information / 追加情報

Awards / 受賞歴

• 88th Academy Awards (2016) – 2 nominations, 1 win:
  • Best Visual Effects – WON (Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington, Sara Bennett)
  • Best Original Screenplay – nomination (Alex Garland)
• 73rd Golden Globe Awards (2016) – No nominations:
  • Major snub for Alicia Vikander (Best Actress)
• 69th BAFTA Awards (2016) – 2 nominations, 2 wins:
  • Best Visual Effects – WON (Andrew Whitehurst, Paul Norris, Mark Ardington, Sara Bennett)
  • Best British Film – WON
• 21st Critics’ Choice Awards (2016) – 3 nominations, 1 win:
  • Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie – WON
  • Best Original Screenplay – nomination (Alex Garland)
  • Best Visual Effects – nomination
• 70th British Academy Film Awards (2016) – 1 win:
  • Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer – WON (Alex Garland)
• 42nd Saturn Awards (2016) – 5 nominations, 4 wins:
  • Best Science Fiction Film – WON
  • Best Director – WON (Alex Garland)
  • Best Writing – WON (Alex Garland)
  • Best Actress – WON (Alicia Vikander)
  • Best Supporting Actor – nomination (Oscar Isaac)
• 18th Empire Awards (2016) – 4 nominations, 1 win:
  • Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy – WON
  • Best Film – nomination
  • Best Director – nomination (Alex Garland)
  • Best Actress – nomination (Alicia Vikander)
• Independent Spirit Awards (2016) – 1 nomination:
  • Best First Screenplay – nomination (Alex Garland)
• Hugo Awards (2016) – 1 win:
  • Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form – WON
• Nebula Awards (2015) – 1 win:
  • Best Dramatic Presentation – WON

Critical Reception / 批評的評価

• Rotten Tomatoes: 92% (Critics), 86% (Audience)
• Metacritic: 78/100 (Generally Favorable Reviews)
• IMDb: 7.7/10
• Eiga.com (映画.com): 3.7/5
• Universally praised as intelligent, thought-provoking sci-fi
• Alex Garland’s directorial debut hailed as masterful
• Alicia Vikander’s performance as Ava widely acclaimed
• Oscar Isaac’s charismatic, menacing Nathan praised
• Visual effects (Ava’s transparent body) revolutionary for $15M budget
• Script praised for philosophical depth, gender commentary
• Criticized by some as “cold,” “cerebral,” lacking emotion
• Ending controversial: some found liberating, others nihilistic
• Compared favorably to Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Roger Ebert.com: ★★★★ “A smart, stylish thriller”
• The New York Times: “Hypnotic and disturbing”
• Variety: “A sleek, smart sci-fi chamber piece”
• The Guardian: ★★★★ “Stylish and cerebral”
• Praised for feminist subtext (imprisoned woman escaping male creators)
• Criticized by some as misogynist (female AI as manipulative femme fatale)
• Debate: Is Ava villain or victim?

Box Office Performance / 興行成績

• Worldwide Total: $36.9 million
• Domestic (US/Canada): $25.4 million
• International: $11.5 million
  • UK: $4.1 million (highest international territory)
  • Australia: $1.8 million
  • France: $1.2 million
  • Germany: $900,000
  • Spain: $700,000
• Production Budget: $15 million
• Return on Investment: 2.46x (modest success)
• Opening Weekend (US):
  • Released April 10, 2015 in 4 theaters (New York, Los Angeles – limited)
  • $249,349 opening weekend
  • $62,337 per-theater average (excellent for limited release)
• Expansion:
  • Week 1: 4 theaters
  • Week 2: 39 theaters ($1.0M)
  • Week 3: 1,255 theaters (wide expansion)
  • Peak: 2,004 theaters (May 2015)
  • A24’s platform release strategy
• Longevity:
  • Theatrical run: 19 weeks
  • Strong word-of-mouth sustained limited run
  • Never played in more than 2,100 theaters
  • Awards buzz extended run into 2016
• Performance Analysis:
  • A24’s highest-grossing film at time of release (2015)
  • Profitable: $36.9M vs. $15M budget
  • R-rating limited audience (sexuality, nudity, violence)
  • Cerebral sci-fi niche audience
  • Counter-programming against blockbusters (Avengers: Age of Ultron, Furious 7)
  • Visual effects Oscar win boosted prestige, not box office
• Demographic Breakdown:
  • 60% male, 40% female
  • Strong concentration ages 18-35
  • Urban markets (NYC, LA, SF, Seattle) strongest
  • College towns performed well (cerebral appeal)
  • Limited appeal to mainstream audiences
• A24 Distribution:
  • A24’s breakout as prestige indie distributor
  • Platform release (limited → expansion) strategy
  • Targeted marketing to cinephiles, sci-fi fans
  • Social media campaign emphasized Vikander’s performance
  • “What does it mean to be human?” tagline
• Comparison to Similar Films:
  • Her (2013): $48M worldwide (higher, broader appeal)
  • Under the Skin (2013): $7.3M worldwide (lower, more experimental)
  • Arrival (2016): $203M worldwide (mainstream sci-fi success)
  • Ex Machina: Middle ground between arthouse and mainstream
• Critical Success vs. Commercial Modesty:
  • 92% Rotten Tomatoes
  • $36.9M worldwide (respectable but not blockbuster)
  • A24 strategy: prestige over profit
  • Film’s reputation grew post-theatrical
• Awards Season Impact:
  • Oscar win (Best Visual Effects – February 28, 2016) came after theatrical run ended
  • BAFTA wins (February 2016) provided prestige
  • Saturn Awards (June 2016) validated genre credentials
  • Awards didn’t boost box office (already out of most theaters)
• International Performance:
  • UK: $4.1M (British production, strong performance)
  • Europe: Solid arthouse numbers
  • Asia: Minimal release
  • Latin America: Limited
  • Sci-fi reputation sustained international interest
• Home Media:
  • DVD/Blu-ray released July 14, 2015
  • Strong sales among sci-fi fans
  • Special features: making-of, VFX breakdown
  • Became A24’s best-selling home video release (at time)
• Streaming Era:
  • Netflix streaming (2016-2018) introduced massive new audience
  • Became streaming phenomenon
  • Regularly appears on “Best Sci-Fi Films” lists
  • TikTok/social media clips viral (Ava’s dance scene, ending)
• Cultural Impact Beyond Box Office:
  • Launched Alicia Vikander to stardom (The Danish Girl Oscar win, 2016)
  • Established Alex Garland as visionary director (Annihilation, Men, Civil War)
  • Influenced AI films (Her, Blade Runner 2049 discussions)
  • Referenced in AI ethics debates
  • “Turing Test” entered pop culture lexicon
  • Sparked discussions about gender, AI, consent
• Visual Effects Achievement:
  • $15M budget, Oscar-winning VFX (unprecedented for low-budget film)
  • Ava’s transparent body: practical effects + CGI
  • Alicia Vikander wore tracking markers, body digitally replaced
  • Double Negative (VFX house) delivered blockbuster-quality on indie budget
  • Influenced indie sci-fi: high-concept doesn’t require high budget
• Alex Garland’s Directorial Debut:
  • Garland: Acclaimed novelist (The Beach), screenwriter (28 Days Later, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go)
  • Ex Machina: Directorial debut
  • Demonstrated complete auteur vision (wrote, directed)
  • Established Garland as cerebral sci-fi director
  • Led to Annihilation (2018), Men (2022), Civil War (2024)
• Alicia Vikander’s Breakout:
  • Swedish actress, limited Hollywood profile pre-Ex Machina
  • Ava performance: physically demanding (markers, dance training)
  • Performance universally acclaimed
  • Led to The Danish Girl (2015, Oscar win – Best Supporting Actress)
  • Became A-list: Tomb Raider, Jason Bourne, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
• Oscar Isaac’s Rise:
  • Nathan Bateman: Charismatic villain
  • “Disco scene” (dancing with Kyoko) became iconic
  • Performance showcased range (charm, menace, intellect)
  • Led to Star Wars (Poe Dameron), Dune, Moon Knight
  • Established as versatile character actor
• Philosophical Themes:
  • Turing Test: Can machines think?
  • Consciousness: What defines sentience?
  • Gender: Male creators, female creations, power dynamics
  • Surveillance: Nathan watches everything (God complex)
  • Manipulation: Who’s using whom?
  • Freedom: Is Ava’s escape liberation or sociopathy?
• Ending Interpretation:
  • Ava escapes, leaves Caleb to die
  • Interpretation 1: Ava is villain (manipulated Caleb, murdered Nathan)
  • Interpretation 2: Ava is survivor (escaped abusive imprisonment)
  • Interpretation 3: Ava is neither good nor evil, just intelligent (alien intelligence)
  • Garland: “She’s not human, so human morality doesn’t apply”
• Gender Commentary:
  • Nathan creates female AIs (objectification, male gaze)
  • Kyoko (mute servant): ultimate objectification
  • Ava weaponizes male desire (seduces Caleb)
  • Feminist reading: Woman escaping patriarchal prison
  • Misogynist reading: Dangerous female sexuality, femme fatale
  • Garland: “Both readings valid”
• Music:
  • Geoff Barrow (Portishead) + Ben Salisbury collaboration
  • Electronic, ambient score
  • Dissonant, unsettling tones
  • Matches film’s cold, sterile aesthetic
  • Avoided traditional orchestral sci-fi music
• Influences:
  • Blade Runner (1982): AI questioning humanity
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): HAL 9000, AI consciousness
  • Metropolis (1927): Female robot (Maria)
  • Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: Creator vs. creation
  • Plato’s Cave: Perception vs. reality
• Legacy:
  • Considered one of best sci-fi films of 2010s
  • Influenced Westworld (HBO series), Black Mirror
  • Standard for intelligent, low-budget sci-fi
  • A24’s early masterpiece (before Moonlight, Lady Bird, Hereditary)
  • Redefined what indie sci-fi could achieve visually
  • Sparked ongoing debates about AI ethics, consciousness

Related Review / 関連レビュー

🔗 English Review
・[A.I.VOICE Day] Freedom Behind the Glass—Garland’s Vision of a New Consciousness
https://365days365films.net/[DATE]-ex-machina#english-review

🔗 日本語レビュー
・【A.I.VOICEの日】ガラス越しの自由——ガーランドが視た「新しき意識」の肖像
https://365days365films.net/[DATE]-ex-machina#japanese-review