In 2015, writer/director Alex Garland delivered one of the most intriguing sci-fi films ever put on screen, Ex Machina. While it wasn’t something that I would go back and call one of my favorites, I admire how Garland crafted such a film that was made to spark up conversation about artificial intelligence, and I do get why people love it. It isn’t that often that you get films that actually challenge you, especially sci-fi films in this day and age. From the setting, to Alicia Vikander’s near-flawless performance as Ava (should have gotten an Oscar for THAT), it definitely feels like a film that will be remembered as a classic.
So while I may not be the biggest fan of Garland’s work, he has become someone I’m intrigued to see more of in future works. Annihilation was another one of those films that peaked my interest, both in the way it was marketed, but also due because this was another film that became subject to whitewashing controversy. It turns out the main character in the books that Natalie Portman portrays, is supposed to be Asian. In Garland’s defense, the first book didn’t make mention of race with any of the characters, and plus, the script was already finished before the second book even came out. That, and the author of the book, Jeff VanderMeer, has admitted to discussing the matter with Garland, addressing this is more of what was going through his head as a filmmaker. So in other words, we have another “Hermione Situation”, folks; at this point, I’m just focusing on the movie as a movie.
When the military blocks off an area coated and broken off by a translucent barrier, called “The Shimmer,” a group of scientists are gathered and sent in to investigate. Upon entering, we have encounters with mutated creatures and entities that you can’t describe, all while questioning the reality that surrounds them. Much like his previous work, Annihilation manages to be another intriguing sci-fi film that has something worth talking about, especially revolving around the themes of purpose and defining good vs evil.
Where I feel this film succeeds is in the visuals and atmosphere; hats off to Rob Hardy for his cinematography. The imagery in the film is also stunning to say the least; the Shimmer truly is a place that never feels right, but Garland truly. With most of the scenery being this beautiful forest, it eases you in far enough to let your guard down to the mutant creature attacks, which are effectively scary. Easily the scariest moment in the whole movie is the second bear encounter; dealing with a grizzly is one thing, but a faceless bear that has a roar imitating human screams, is the most unsettling thing you could imagine.
Natalie Portman does a great job as Lena, the scientist joining board to help her husband, and I love the chemistry that she shares with the rest of the cast; just because she wasn’t the accurate race, doesn’t take away from what is still a strong performance. Oscar Isaac and Jennifer Jason Leigh also do well, working off of Portman very nicely, whether it’d be in a distorted mental state or in a moment of panic of what to do.
As for the ending, I feel like there is quite a lot of interpretation to make, but I don’t want to go into too much detail from here. You truly need to go and see this with as little detail as possible, because the discovery to me is what made this film the most enjoyable.
Overall, Annihilation is one of the most intriguing films this year, and I highly recommend checking it out.. It’s a shame that Paramount didn’t have much faith in this film, dumping it onto Netflix for international audiences; but regardless, Annihilation is definitely a sci-fi fantasy that you should not skip out on.
Rating: A
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