Annihilation Review

     

     Science Fiction has been one of the most influential genres in history of films and for good reason. Sci-Fi has always enlighten audiences by introducing them to fascinating concepts and intriguing ideas all through a story that’s more fantastical compared to the average film. Every so often, a science fiction movie comes along that ends up being refreshing, original and one of the most ingenious things to come on the big screen in years. Annihilation is one of those movies; it is everything that a science fiction film should strive to be.

   The story of Annihilation deals with a biologist named Lena played by Natalie Portman, joining a team of scientists to investigate a strange forest infected by some unknown entity and they have to figure out what’s the cause of these surreal events. Not much should be revealed further as Annihilation’s story is incredibly well done with some twists and turns through-out the entire film. It does tread on some familiarity in the same way movies like Cloverfield Paradox and Alien Covenant have, however unlike those films where they’re too fixated on tired tropes and ideas that aren’t as fleshed out, Annihilation an incredible job making it feels more refreshing with better characters and also ingenious ideas. Much like Alex Garland’s previous film Ex Machina, the film goes into a more human element to its themes being fixated on the idea of fear and how it ends up being more harmful yet also hard to avoid since it is a a motivation for humans everywhere. It challenges the audience on this idea on how we should handle fear and much like every great science fiction film, it doesn’t talk down to the audience and instead enlightens them on these ideas by letting them come to their own conclusions about the films themes. A film like Annihilation is one that’s definitely needs to be talked about just on its themes and how it discusses its themes alone.

     

     One of the strongest elements of Alex Garland’s Ex Machina is how he was able to create three dimensional characters that weren’t just regulated to one basic archetype. In Annihilation, he is able to achieve that again, giving us characters that aren’t only intelligent, but have some unique development and more than just serving as a basic archetype of a survival movie like this. Add to the fact that actors like Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac deliver incredible performances that might be some of the best in their entire career. They sell their roles greatly with a wide range of emotions but also just simply being well realized characters that aren’t just the basic good or bad guy; they are complex and given many moments that make the audience more intrigued by their characters. The supporting cast of actresses like Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson and Gina Rodriguez also serve as excellent supporting roles, being a little more developed even with less time dedicated to them compared to the protagonist. The films characters and their motives also help exemplify the theme of fear the film tries to get across and although some minor moments may not portray it as well with some weak writing at points, the films character depth is enough to really make this film incredibly fascinating to watch.

     A science fiction movie is nothing however without some incredibly and original imagery and Annihilation delivers exceptionally. Starting with the film’s cinematography, the film is so incredibly well shot just from its opening frames; it lures you in with some striking imagery that’s profound and beautiful to look at. The rest of the film from the minor set pieces of the home life and even when they’re in the mysterious world, is also shot beautifully where nearly every single frame has some sort of visual spectacle to the point where it could definitely be worthy of an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. Sound and special effects are also top notch as well, minus a few moments where the CGI isn’t up to par with the rest of the film, the special effects team gave their A-game to this film with some of the most believable and stunning effects seen in a small budget Sci-Fi film like this. The highlight is one of the most disturbing creature effects ever seen in a horror like Sci-Fi film like this one, creating for a haunting moment in the whole film. The film spectacle is worth seeing on the big screen alone, not since Blade Runner 2049 has a science fiction film looked this stunning.

     Annihilation is a breathtaking film that should be on everyone’s radar, especially for those who are in love with the science fiction genre. Like any of the best films of Sci-Fi, it enlighten and impresses on nearly all aspects and is one that later down the line will be considered a classic in the vain of Alien or Blade Runner. Even if the film isn’t loved by everyone, it should be seen as any movie that creates great discussion about incredible ideas should be looked at, and Annihilation does an amazing job at being a unique film experience.