Today’s quick review: Annihilation. Following the inexplicable reappearance of her missing husband Kane (Oscar Isaac), Lena (Natalie Portman) learns that he was the only survivor of an expedition into the Shimmer, an ever-expanding area surrounded by a shimmering wall that has resisted all attempts at scientific study. To solve the mystery of her husband’s return, Lena volunteers her skills as a biologist on the next mission into the Shimmer.
Annihilation is a science fiction drama with horror elements. Annihilation follows Lena and four other specialists as they venture into the unknown: a patch of land that has been radically altered in the wake of a meteor impact. The film features artful direction, a steady sense of progression, strong dramatic performances, and gorgeous yet unsettling visuals. However, its peculiar blend of grounded drama and surreal sci-fi make it a niche pick.
Annihilation takes place in a hauntingly beautiful environment laced with hidden danger. The Shimmer has warped a section of forest into an otherworldly landscape blooming with impossible flowers and crawling with new forms of wildlife. The film makes excellent use of color and light to portray the Shimmer in all its vivid, disturbing glory. Annihilation’s unique aesthetic and striking ideas make it a worthwhile watch for its setting alone.
Annihilation’s story is a blend of sci-fi mystery and personal drama. The expedition and its preparation are part of the realistic side of science fiction. The government has questions about the Shimmer, and their solution is practical: send another team in to investigate. But as Lena journeys deeper into the Shimmer, the film wanders into the stranger side of the genre, growing more abstract and more surreal right up until its finale.
Interspersed with the mission is a more personal story of stress and marriage. Lena’s background and motivations are revealed slowly over the course of the movie as she reflects on the months leading up to Kane’s ill-fated departure. Natalie Portman handles both sides of the role well. While her characters is not entirely sympathetic, her flaws are in keeping with the dramatic nature of the movie and she makes a fine protagonist.
Annihilation is not for the faint of heart. The film constantly skirts the edge of horror, ranging from lapses in memory to jump scares to full-blown body horror. The horror elements are not Annihilation’s main focus, but they increase in intensity and frequency as the film goes on. The darker parts of the film are offset by the Shimmer’s peaceful landscape and the film’s incongruous folk soundtrack, yielding a hybrid tone that is hard to categorize.
Annihilation does have its flaws. The movie delivers only a handful of the answers it promises, although the ending is striking enough to justify the lingering mystery. The plot logic isn’t airtight, but none of its lapses are enough to distract from the story. Annihilation also misses the opportunity to make more of its personal drama, a side of the story that peters out as the film goes on.
For the right viewer, Annihilation is an excellent watch. The film’s serious tone, horror aspects, and lack of hard answers all limit its appeal, but its fascinating ideas and solid craftsmanship are enough to carve it a niche of its own. Those who enjoy the darker side of sci-fi will appreciate Annihilation’s immersive atmosphere and escalating tension. The squeamish and those looking for action or a fully logical plot should look elsewhere.
There are several other movies that play around in a similar space. For a grounded science fiction movie with less horror and more personal drama, check out Arrival. For a sci-fi horror movie with a similar sense of exploration and a greater focus on action, check out Prometheus. For a pure psychological thriller that achieves the same effect as Annihilation’s darker moments, check out Shutter Island.
7.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 to 8.0 for atmospheric, engrossing science fiction.