Sci-fi ‘Ex Machina’ feels modern, futuristic and classical at once

Three characters trapped in a house debating human consciousness may not sound like the most exciting backbone for a movie. “Really we’d talk about the script as a whole and then look at it from every single angle to make sure it sticks together.” “There’s a lot of misdirection in the film,” Garland added. After his debut novel, the backpacking adventure “The Beach,” was adapted into a movie, he reinvigorated the zombie story with his first screenplay, “28 Days Later.” Alongside two more novels, he followed this up with scripts to the space drama “Sunshine” and adaptations of the novel “Never Let Me Go” and comic “Dredd.” Taken together, it now appears as a consistently inventive body of work, full of big ideas, sharp storytelling and a complicated view of technology’s interface with society. On making the transition to directing with his original script for “Ex Machina” — “I love this question,” Garland dryly said before it was even fully asked, as Isaac and Gleeson both settled back in their chairs as if they knew they wouldn’t be needed for a few moments — Garland provided a brief disclaimer to something he has now been asked about many times. So this was just another film.” Andrew Macdonald, producer on “Ex Machina” alongside DNA Films partner Allon Reich, worked on the adaptation of “The Beach” and still recalls the first time he read Garland’s first screenplay for “28 Days Later.” Having worked together numerous times since, Macdonald acknowledged that Garland’s feelings are uniquely his own.