Annihilation, directed by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Civil War, Men, Devs), follows an ex-military college professor battling the loss of her husband, who went missing in action. One day, her husband mysteriously returns, setting off a chain of phantasmal and unsettling events. Natalie Portman adds another incredible performance to her career alongside a strong cast of women including Michelle Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, and Jennifer Jason Leigh. The film taps into humanity’s fear of ultimate destruction at the hands of an unknown oppressor, in this case, an unexplainable alien phenomenon that seemingly poses a threat to all existence. Many who have seen the film draw comparisons of said phenomenon to diseases such as cancer.
Unlike with Arrival, my previous review, Annihilation’s writers take a lot of creative liberties when it comes to approaching real-life STEM concepts. Despite this, there is plenty of introspection and fun possibilities at play. Without getting too much into spoilers, the film does a fantastic job theorizing ways extraterrestrial life could manipulate human life without getting into the typical “destroy and restart” narrative. The story plays more with the ideas of replication and mirroring of cells, the processes of infinite creation and evolution colliding with one another. Playing with the idea that we are never truly gone, even in death. Very intriguing to both regular audiences and STEM devotees alike.
There is only one gripe I have with the movie. Once again, without delving too far into spoilers, I have to say I wish the film was a bit longer. No, I don’t mean three hours like Peter Jackson’s King Kong. But I think the film could have added a few extra scenes to flesh out certain arcs and narratives. Even so, the film’s impact isn’t marred by my piqued curiosity into the universe (especially considering it’s based on the first book of an entire trilogy and I can find more lore there) and I would say that’s a very minor nitpick.
The ending is one of my favorites from the 2010s. I tend to prefer bleak endings that evoke a sense of dread—and Annihilation offered exactly that. The offputting tone of the film is long-lasting and palpable. Upon first watching, I instantly regretted missing its theatrical run. I imagine seeing that final shot on the big screen would’ve put my stomach into knots.
If you enjoy psychological science fiction, I highly recommend checking Annihilation out! And if you enjoy Annihilation, check out the Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer, the book series which the film is based on. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay tuned for part 2 of our STEM Movie Reviews coming later this week!
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