Before Marvel's Moon Knight, Oscar Isaac Was The Villain Of An Acclaimed Sci-Fi Movie

Even long before he was killed on Arrakis in "Dune" or joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as "Moon Knight," perhaps one of Oscar Isaac's best performances in science fiction came as part of a trio of talent in Alex Garland's modern cult classic, "Ex Machina." Released in 2015 and both written and directed by Garland, the film follows Domhnall Gleeson (who at this point had appeared in the likes of the cult classic "Dredd" and "True Grit," a remake of John Wayne's classic western) as software programmer Caleb Smith, who, after winning a company competition, is given a weeklong stay with the company's disco-loving CEO, Nathan Bateman (Isaac).

A tranquil getaway turns into a world-changing and equally terrifying experience when Bateman reveals his latest invention — a humanoid robot with artificial intelligence called Ava (Alicia Vikander). Caleb is tasked with determining whether Ava is self-aware and capable of basic human thought. As the experiment progresses, the two men begin to fight for Ava in a battle she is more than capable of handling on her own.

Even more than a decade on, there's no doubt that Vikander is the scene-stealing highlight of "Ex-Machina," with Ava blending an incredible performance with subtle yet expertly handled special effects that make her stand out from the crowd. But just like Vikander is something of an even more modern Prometheus, Bateman is a Victor Frankenstein of this era, a far more subdued and, as a result, sinister creator, unlike the character he'd eventually play for Guillermo Del Toro in 2025.

In a story that can live or die on the three performances at its core, there's no question that Isaac puts the work in with his contribution and, by doing so, creates a character that is still one of his greatest performances. There's a calculating and callous element to Bateman that is both oblivious of the godly game he's playing and yet drunk on the power kick he's getting from it.

Manipulating Caleb and testing Ava in the process, whether it's an artificial intelligence or a biological one, Bateman just wants to push both to their limits and see who breaks first. Breaking down his character to Den of Geek back in 2015, Isaac explained, "For him, I don't think he has much empathy for human beings. So, why is he going to have much empathy for this creation, which he knows is going to come and eradicate — it's the next evolution, anyway? You feel bad for her? Feel bad for us, because this is the end of us."

Bateman is part of a story that, like many of Alex Garland's works, offers audiences terrifying glimpses into dark futures that don't look too dissimilar to the present. Horror fans felt that the COVID pandemic's empty streets mirrored "28 Days Later," while "Civil War" fired a political warning at U.S. politics. As for "Ex Machina," well, you can only hope that an eccentric billionaire doesn't play the same game of god as Bateman does, or has a dance to celebrate when it happens.