Annihilation Review

Annihilation
Director: Alex Garland
Cast Headliners: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Oscar Isaac
Original Release Date: February 23, 2018 (Theatrical Run USA Only)

Alex Garland has become one to watch. He already was notable for his past works including writing on 28 Days Later and Dredd but it was his directorial debut in Ex Machina which proved his knack for deep sci-fi. Annihilation, semi-loosely based upon a trilogy of novels, is his next take on material that will terrify as much as it causes wonder in its beauty.

The movie jumps around in its time-telling which is one of its drawbacks due to things being discussed “in present” before or after they occur “in the past”. Lena (Natalie Portman) is a biologist being interrogated by a group of government officials led by Lomax(Benedict Wong, who just asks a few sincere questions and not much else aside a particularly great line) after a disastrous mission.

The majority of the film shows the unfolding of this mission into the surreal rainbow-alien covered wilderness of The Shimmer. Lena finds herself at a military base outside this quarantine zone after her husband Kane(Oscar Isaac) shows up disillusioned and sick at her apartment after he was the only survivor of a previous expedition to the Shimmer with his unit of secretive government operatives. Both are abducted by the government Southern Reach task force led by psychologist Dr.Ventress(Jennifer Jason Leigh). With Kane in recovery the coincidentally all-women team of Lena, Ventress, paramedic Anya(Gina Rodriguez), physicist Josie(Tessa Thompson), and geologist Cass(Tuva Novotny) venture past the boundary wall of The Shimmer into its coastal heart to find answers on what happened to the previous team.

The movie's primary standout is its tone which isn't surprising from director Garland. Every second spent inside Shimmer-affected lands is ominous and uneasy. The forest-filled setting and at times greyed-out dark pallette , as well as the use of aliens, may remind one of the great 2016 film Arrival in many ways. Although here the use of time and its plot is more linear and traditional with increased action. Post-apocalyptic abandoned towns and installations are contrasted by quiet natural glens and beaches. There's actually some beautiful use of color and plentiful surreal trippy imagery . That's because in The Shimmer, biological matter is being slowly mutated. This leads to strange flower patterns, crystal structures, and flesh-like fungus covered trees and buildings for background. It also leads to animals both oddly serene( like flower-deers, translucent fish, and plant-shaped-imitation people) and deadly (like the alligator-shark hybrid and undead zombie-like bear seen in promotional material). The mysteries of what can happen within is a standout through this ambience and the less one knows the better.

Aside from some at times questionable use of jumping around or spending on certain sequences the plot is filled with the afromented surprise and twists. Matter, time, and sanity are questioned on what is planned by the characters to be a simple in and out mission(and which actually surmounts to more or less that … much more of a haunted alien swamp house than the constant subtleness of Ex Machina). Horror and action are words that apply to some parts of the film but not always. It more often leaves one feeling like they have been affected by alien wonder themselves and thinking upon its Lovecraftian science than pulse pounding action although be warned the terror can be terrifying at moments.

Garland's cinematography and direction is of course wonderful. Some of the special effects can be slightly less convincing but it is very slight. Music is moreso the variance with some chilling otherworldly strings and horns mixed in with out of place calm acoustic guitar or folk songs. The peak of the film comes as the human world is left behind and the hellish heart of mission's destination is reached with its shocking answers and happenings.

For all of its strengths through tone , mystery, and bizzareness the characters along for the ride are a mixed bag. Portman's Lena gives a more or less decent performance whether sincere, depressed, inquisitive , or heroic. Isaac's Kane's true self is mostly contained to some flashbacks where he has both warmth and disaffected natures...increased by his PTSD on return after which he sits the majority of the rest of the film out. Rodriguez's Anya is perhaps more or less the only other most notable role of the film bringing spunk , paranoia, and occasional humor depending on the situation. It's ironic that there is some meta reunions through both Padme Portman and Poe Isaac from Star Wars being married and Thor of the MCU's female friends Jane (Portman as well) and Valyrie (Thompson / Josie) being in the same film. Unlike that role , and others, Thompson is just kind of ...there and subdued although aiming to try. The same applies top Leigh's Ventress and Novotny's Cass. The film is about characters in some ways as their personal pasts haunt them almost as much as the Shimmer does, but this varies in effectiveness as stated.

It's surprises are at times typical, but particularly its ending will stay with the viewer. It's worth the buildup and mysterious voyage. Garland has made a solid mashup of sci-fi, horror, and drama one again that is worth for its more or less unique blend of chilling and relaxing elements. 8.25 out of 10