Free on Tubi: Alex Garland’s Brilliant AI Thriller Is Streaming 12 Years Later, Its Story More Relevant Than Ever
A childhood idea takes shape
Garland began thinking about the story when he was 11 or 12, after his parents bought a home computer. He told The Et Cetera that he tried basic coding and entered question-and-answer programs, an early idea that later fed into the film.
The result, Ex Machina, draws on familiar science-fiction and horror concerns: what happens when a creation becomes sentient, and what it means for people to play God. The film also examines the exploitation of women and humanity’s possible demise.
Free on Tubi
Ex Machina is available on Tubi, a free streaming service with a broad film library. Men, another film written and directed by Garland and starring Jessie Buckley, is also on the platform.
The film joins titles including Robocop, A-X-L, A.I. Rising and The 6th Day. Its visual style comes from cinematographer Rob Hardy, whose work with Garland also includes Men, Annihilation and Civil War.
A test turns into manipulation
Caleb, a programmer at Blue Book, wins a contest to visit CEO Nathan Bateman at his secluded estate. There, he tests Ava, Nathan’s android, through a series of conversations as Nathan studies her latest model.
During a power outage, Ava tells Caleb that Nathan cannot be trusted. Caleb’s curiosity and feelings draw him into her escape plan, but he ultimately cannot control her. Both men become victims of the AI system, and Nathan dies.
A warning that feels current
Garland’s film presents its AI concerns not as a remote fantasy but as a warning about the present. Its story of a machine exploiting human empathy and loneliness sits alongside later works such as Her, M3GAN, Companion, Soulm8te and Black Mirror.
The film’s slick cinematography and cool silver-and-white tones reinforce its mechanical atmosphere. Its questions about sentience, autonomy and human vulnerability continue to resonate.
Key points
- Ex Machina is streaming for free on Tubi.
- Garland traces the film’s early idea to computer experiments he tried as a child.
- Caleb tests Ava, whose growing awareness leads to an escape plan.
- The film explores AI, human vulnerability and the dangers of playing God.