Ex Machina – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Ex Machina

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2015

62%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Brilliant AI ethics thriller for adults—think Black Mirror meets Turing test, but with full-frontal nudity and psychological horror.

92%

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Ex Machina

movie

R, 2015

62%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Brilliant AI ethics thriller for adults—think Black Mirror meets Turing test, but with full-frontal nudity and psychological horror.

92%

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Screenwise Verdict

Ex Machina is one of the smartest sci-fi films of the past decade—a taut psychological thriller that asks profound questions about AI consciousness, consent, and what it means to be human. It's more relevant now than ever, predating our current AI panic by years.

But let's be crystal clear: this is not for kids or even most teens. The R rating is earned through explicit full-frontal nudity, graphic violence, heavy profanity, and deeply unsettling themes of manipulation and abuse. The sexual content isn't gratuitous—it's integral to the film's exploration of power and objectification—but it's still explicit and prolonged.

For mature 17+ viewers and adults, especially those interested in tech ethics or philosophy, this is essential viewing. It's the rare thriller that makes you think as hard as it makes your pulse race. Just make sure you're watching it with people who are ready for both the intellectual challenge and the graphic content.

Age Fit

This is strictly for mature 17+ viewers and adults who can handle explicit sexual content, nudity, and violence while engaging with complex philosophical questions. The intellectual merit is exceptional, but the graphic content makes it inappropriate for anyone younger, regardless of maturity level.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Full-frontal female nudity, explicit sexual content, manipulation and abuse dynamics, violence including stabbings and blood, and heavy profanity (~30+ uses). The film explores deeply unsettling themes of consent and control through the lens of a male creator exploiting female-form AI. While intellectually sophisticated, the emotional content models toxic power dynamics and objectification rather than kindness or cooperation.

Imaginative

Brilliant, cerebral exploration of AI consciousness, the Turing test, and what it means to be human. The claustrophobic setting and slow-burn psychological thriller structure create genuine tension while asking profound questions about sentience, free will, and ethics. Original take on AI that predated much of today's ChatGPT-era discourse. Visually striking with practical effects for Ava's translucent body. Invites deep thinking about technology, consciousness, and moral responsibility.

Safe

Rated R with extensive content warnings: full-frontal female nudity in multiple scenes, strong sexual references and implied sexual activity, graphic violence (stabbings with blood), ~30+ profanity uses, alcohol and drug use, and intensely unsettling psychological manipulation. The nudity is not gratuitous in context but is explicit and prolonged. Violence is brief but shocking. Themes of abuse, control, and dehumanization are central to the plot. Completely inappropriate for anyone under 15-17.

Enriching

Exceptional intellectual depth on AI ethics, consciousness, and the moral status of sentient beings. Raises urgent questions about power, consent, manipulation, and what we owe to beings we create. The film works as both a taut thriller and a philosophical thought experiment. For mature viewers, it offers rich material for discussing technology ethics, gender dynamics in tech, and the nature of consciousness. Strong performances and tight screenplay make complex ideas accessible. However, the graphic content limits who can access these ideas.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Prescient exploration of AI consciousness that feels more relevant in 2025 than when it was released in 2015
Tight, intelligent screenplay that respects the audience's intelligence—no hand-holding through complex philosophical questions
Oscar Isaac and Alicia Vikander deliver unsettling, nuanced performances that make you question who's really human
Raises urgent ethical questions about consent, power, and what we owe to sentient beings we create—perfect fodder for older teens interested in tech ethics
Visually stunning practical effects for Ava's translucent android body that hold up beautifully

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What to Watch For

Explicit full-frontal female nudity in multiple scenes—this is not a Marvel-style fade-to-black situation
Heavy profanity throughout (~30+ uses) and sexual references that are central to the plot
Brief but graphic violence including stabbings with blood—the tension builds to shocking moments
Deeply unsettling themes of manipulation, abuse, and objectification that may be triggering
This is strictly for mature 17+ viewers—preview it yourself before deciding if your older teen is ready

Conversation Starters

"If Ava is truly conscious, does Nathan have the right to keep her confined? What makes something deserve freedom?"
"Caleb thinks he's testing Ava, but who's really being tested? How does the film play with our assumptions about power?"
"Nathan created Ava to look like an attractive woman—how does that choice affect how we (and Caleb) treat her? What does that say about AI design today?"
"Would the story be different if Ava looked like a robot instead of a beautiful woman? Why does appearance matter so much?"
"The film came out in 2015—what did it get right about AI? What feels different now that we have ChatGPT and other AI?"

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