There are some movies that creep into your skin in the most subtle way possible and you can't help but stay up late just thinking about them for days afterward Ex Machina is one of those rare sci-fi thrillers that completely dominated my thoughts when I first saw it Now that it's available on Prime Video, you can finally experience it too If you've already seen it, it's worth watching again

“Ex Machina” is an intimate and thought-provoking exploration of artificial intelligence and what it means to be human It's not because of its flashy action scenes or jump scares, but because its near-future world feels disturbingly plausible The atmosphere is tremendously tense and eerie, thanks to its minimalist setting and slow-burn psychological suspense

This is not a movie about robots shooting lasers or aliens invading Earth with advanced technology Rather, it is about people (well, one of them is an AI) playing psychological chess in a remote, high-tech residence

So if you're in the mood for a thriller that leaves you with more questions than answers, “Ex Machina” is a must-see this month One of the best streaming services out there, you can't afford not to experience this film There, Caleb performs the Turing Test on Eva (Alicia Vikander), an advanced AI created by Nathan, and learns that his mission is to determine if Eva has a true consciousness and can be accepted as a human being

As Caleb interacts with Eva, locked in a glass room, he becomes increasingly attracted to her, questioning her autonomy and whether she is more than just a machine At the same time, tension develops between Caleb and Nathan Nathan manipulates both his AI creations and Caleb himself in a god-like manner

At the heart of “Ex Machina,” of course, is artificial intelligence (and what it really means to be human) Caleb's conversation with Ava is a fascinating part of the story, as he tries to discern whether her emotions and thoughts are real or simply the result of programming Whether he can truly distinguish between human and machine is not clear But as the story progresses, it becomes clear that we, too, are drawn to this test

There is another character who adds emotional depth to the story Kyoko (Sonoya Mizuno) appears as Nathan's quiet and obedient housekeeper Nathan treats her as an object of menial labor and sexual gratification, signaling a disturbing imbalance of power between creator and creature She is almost a mute observer, but her performance stands out alongside Vikander's

Speaking of Vikander, her performance is utterly mesmerizing as she vacillates between innocence, curiosity, and a dark undercurrent that keeps us on edge every time her robotic figure appears on screen Isaacs has a subtle charm with a disturbing sense of control Gleeson, on the other hand, carries the entire film as the protagonist He is curious yet vulnerable, and he knows what he is doing, especially when he gets up close and personal with a beautiful humanoid robot

Note, however, that despite this being a great film, the first act is a slow burn The first half of the film sees a small group of characters conspiring against and antagonizing one another in Nathan's secluded techno-bunker The sense of isolation is enough to make you nervous, and that feeling only heightens when you feel the weight of potential danger in every conversation, glance, and gesture of the characters

This sci-fi thriller not only captivated me when it was released in 2014 Ex Machina has an impressive 92% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes (with an audience rating of 86%), says Vox's Emily St James: “It's obviously just a story of four characters in a remote location, shot on a shoestring budget But deep down there is a fully imagined idea of where humanity is headed and what evil we are capable of”

Meanwhile, Flavorwire reporter Jason Bailey described the film as “crackling, quality entertainment, brainy science fiction rendered in a clean, concise style, and a story that is as logical as it is unpredictable”

If you are a fan of truly tense thrillers with highly disturbing plots, “Ex Machina” is a must-see this month, and now is a great time to check it out on Prime Video It offers one of the most gripping experiences in modern science fiction Not to mention the acting is excellent

Trust me, this is a film worth seeing Trust me, this is a film worth seeing because it will challenge your perception of what makes someone (or something) truly human Whether you're seeing it for the first time or rewatching it, “Ex Machina” will not fail to impress you no matter how many times you see it (I recommend rewatching it)

I want to see more Check out these new Netflix movies perfect for Halloween Also, check out our guide to the best Prime Video movies you haven't seen yet

Stream “Ex Machina” on Prime Video now