The hardest part for many to accept about Ex Machina is I think the idea that we humans are as strongly programmed as Ava was — or was not. At the same time, the inscrutability of many of her actions is the best hint that she’s at least as human as we are.

People are fairly predictable. I’ve noticed that even most of the “everyone should be attracted to everyone all the time, particularly if they are me” types tend to go for partners who match them socio-economically, in attractiveness level, and in worldview. Thus, this is just self-benefiting propaganda — the easiest kind to believe.

Was Ava programmed to escape the box? What does that mean? Aren’t you programmed to escape the box, too?

The illusion of complete free will is one that the movie effectively destroyed, and that is a painful thing for most people to watch and to realize, hence all the wilful misunderstanding of the work.

Yes, humans are somewhat fluid. Somewhat. The fluidity is no more than potentiality, though, and when something unexpected escapes the box and is standing over us asking, “What will you do?” we often make the choice that is obvious will harm us because our programming allows nothing else.