"Beautifully Haunting" Ex Machina A Triumph For Alex Garland

Ex Machina, the directorial debut from writer Alex Garland, received critical acclaim when released in the UK earlier this year, and now, as it arrives on U.S soil, it's making waves again.

More: read our full review of Ex-Machina

"Shrewdly imagined and persuasively made, "Ex Machina" is a spooky piece of speculative fiction that's completely plausible, capable of both thinking big thoughts and providing pulp thrills," said Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times.

"While Mr. Garland wants to tease your brain, he's an entertainer, and in time ditches science and philosophy for romance and action," said Manohla Dargis of the New York Times.

More: With 100%, Alex Garland's Ex-Machina could be film of 2015

"Sizzlingly smart and agreeably sententious, Mr. Garland's film transcends some all-too-human imperfections with gorgeous images, astute writing and memorably strong performances," said Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal.

"Beautifully haunting," wrote Jonah Flicker of Paste magazine.

"I know, I know. You've seen all this A.I. stuff before. But never like this. Garland is hot for ethical shop talk on what defines humanity or lack of same," said Peter Travers of Rolling Stone.

Ex Machina is out in the U.S. now.