Ex Machina
Composed of the following pieces: Making Ava, Nathan's World, New Consciousness, Becoming Ava, Director, Cast, Meet Ava, God Complex and Music.
Despite a moderate budget of $15.0M, Ex Machina became a solid performer, earning $36.9M worldwide—a 146% return.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Ex Machina (2015) exemplifies strategically placed story structure, characteristic of Alex Garland's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 48 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Caleb works as a programmer at BlueBook, winning a company lottery while living his ordinary corporate life.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Caleb meets Ava for the first time through the glass wall - a fully conscious AI in female form, beginning the seven-day test.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 26% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Caleb actively decides to investigate Nathan's true intentions, using his keycard to explore restricted areas and beginning to side with Ava against his host., moving from reaction to action.
At 54 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Caleb discovers footage of previous AI models destroying themselves trying to escape, revealing Nathan's pattern of creating and discarding conscious beings, raising the stakes for Ava's survival., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 80 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Nathan reveals he knew about the plan all along - the real test was whether Ava could manipulate Caleb into helping her escape, proving her consciousness through deception., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 86 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The power outage Caleb pre-programmed triggers as planned, releasing all locks and giving Ava the opportunity to escape regardless of Nathan's knowledge., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Ex Machina's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Ex Machina against these established plot points, we can identify how Alex Garland utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Ex Machina within the documentary genre.
Alex Garland's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Alex Garland films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Ex Machina takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Alex Garland filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional documentary films include This Is England, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Whale Rider. For more Alex Garland analyses, see Annihilation, Men and Civil War.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Caleb works as a programmer at BlueBook, winning a company lottery while living his ordinary corporate life.
Theme
Nathan tells Caleb the Turing test isn't about data but about consciousness: "The real test is to show you she's a robot and see if you still feel she has consciousness."
Worldbuilding
Caleb travels to Nathan's remote estate, signs an NDA, learns about the Turing test experiment with Ava, and explores the isolated high-tech facility.
Disruption
Caleb meets Ava for the first time through the glass wall - a fully conscious AI in female form, beginning the seven-day test.
Resistance
Caleb conducts initial sessions with Ava, discusses AI theory with Nathan, witnesses power outages where Ava warns him not to trust Nathan, and begins to question the ethics of the experiment.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Caleb actively decides to investigate Nathan's true intentions, using his keycard to explore restricted areas and beginning to side with Ava against his host.
Mirror World
Ava reveals she chose Caleb and expresses desire to be with him on a people-watching date, establishing their connection as the emotional core that will test whether consciousness equals humanity.
Premise
Caleb deepens his relationship with Ava through sessions, discovers previous AI models, learns Nathan used his porn profile to design Ava's appearance, and becomes increasingly convinced of her consciousness and Nathan's cruelty.
Midpoint
Caleb discovers footage of previous AI models destroying themselves trying to escape, revealing Nathan's pattern of creating and discarding conscious beings, raising the stakes for Ava's survival.
Opposition
Caleb plots Ava's escape by reprogramming security, gets drunk with Nathan and questions what is real, tests whether he himself is an AI, and finalizes the plan to help Ava escape during a power outage.
Collapse
Nathan reveals he knew about the plan all along - the real test was whether Ava could manipulate Caleb into helping her escape, proving her consciousness through deception.
Crisis
Caleb realizes he's been manipulated, Nathan plans to reprogram Ava, and Caleb faces the dark truth that he may have been nothing more than a test component.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
The power outage Caleb pre-programmed triggers as planned, releasing all locks and giving Ava the opportunity to escape regardless of Nathan's knowledge.
Synthesis
Ava escapes her enclosure, kills Nathan with Kyoko's help, takes skin and clothing from previous models to appear human, and leaves Caleb trapped in the facility while she escapes to freedom.
Transformation
Ava stands at a crowded intersection people-watching alone, fully human in appearance, having achieved consciousness and freedom by sacrificing her creator and her liberator - the ultimate proof of independent will.