Read Mixed User Reviews for Annihilation

6

blastgordonApr 5, 2018

Not the best perfomance of Natalie Portman, and probably to expensive ... some effects are poorly and especially the scene which shows the outside of the house, CGI??? Its an awesome idea, but for me it was poorly written, it needs someNot the best perfomance of Natalie Portman, and probably to expensive ... some effects are poorly and especially the scene which shows the outside of the house, CGI??? Its an awesome idea, but for me it was poorly written, it needs some tension, when it’s building up, it is falling down very quickly. It feels like it is trying to find a claustrophobic feeling. It is overrated, I rather take my time to watch the first Alien movie the 100th time again!… Expand

7 of 7 users found this helpful70

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5

twkonefalApr 20, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. None of the decisions these characters make any sense.

After years of the "shimmer" existing, they plow deep into it the exact same way they have since the beginning. Let's not bother sticking a hand in and pulling it out then studying the result. They say "... nothing ever came out". Throw something in, pull it out with a rope. SMH.

There are many other examples of characters making stupid decisions which constantly pulled me out of the suspension of belief and enjoyment of an otherwise interesting premise.… Expand

6 of 6 users found this helpful60

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5

DodgerMar 14, 2018

This felt like a film that had potential, but squandered it in a weird predicatable twist and an overly arty last 10-15 minutes. Some of the effects and scenes were really well done, offset by some weird story line focuses and glaring andThis felt like a film that had potential, but squandered it in a weird predicatable twist and an overly arty last 10-15 minutes. Some of the effects and scenes were really well done, offset by some weird story line focuses and glaring and frequent plot holes.

If youv got Netflix and you like sci-fi give it a watch, seeing as its free, otherwise you can safely give it a miss.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

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5

RealMuthaFMar 17, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After "Ex Machina" I expected more from director Alex Garland. Annihilation is pretentious, boring and ultimately style over substance.

The premise itself is intriguing - there is an expanding supernatural Zone out of which nobody has returned, except for Natalie Portman's husband, who appears to have no memory of prior events. Portman herself is a university professor who presumed her husband dead.

However, everything goes downhill really quick. First, literally on the 3rd minute of the movie we are shown a comet hitting a lighthouse, which immediately eliminates any mystery regarding the Zone's origins, as it's clearly extraterrestrial. Then we are led to believe that the Zone has been expanding for 3 years already. And what has the government organization overseeing it done in the meantime? Perhaps, send a large-scale military/scientific expedition with lots of gear and vehicles? Well no Sir! They have only sent a few small teams, none of which ever communicate or come back. So, by the movie's events, the current squad consists of 5 suicidal women who barely have any relevant skills for the mission. And while all are "scientists", the only person who tries to do some research is Portman, who at least takes biological samples along the way.

And how our 5 girl-scouts act once they enter the zone is unspeakable. They go in without any protective gear(!) and only M4s for weapons(!!), with only Portman having prior shooting experience(!!!), follow no plan and just wander around wasting time(!!!!) and leave no marks to be able to find their way back, as GPS and even compasses don't work(!!!!!).

Besides the sci-fi-ish premise, the movie also has some horror elements, so there are obligatory scenes of a team member being snatched from behind, and one team member losing their mind and acting hostile towards others. The latter scene looks very lame, by the way. There is some suspense in the film, but not enough of it.

While Annihilation has some pretty, albeit low-budget, imagery, the story feels like its writer just came up with some creepy moments but didn't care to stitch them together in any sensible way. There isn't any sense in Thessa Thompson's turning into some sort of discount Poison Ivy and disappearing. There isn't any sense or consistency in the CG-alien's actions. Why has it "entered" Jennifer Jason-Leigh and obliterated her? Why hasn't it done so with Portman, and played some copycat game instead? The alien core can be burned to the ground with a single phosphorus grenade, really? Why didn't Isaac's duplicate (whose reveal was as obvious and predictable as possible) also burn down, while all the other alien constructs were destroyed?

The answer to all those questions is because the writer did a sh***y job, that's why. Unfortunately, Annihilation is a disappointment.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

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4

DovahKJul 2, 2018

Realmente parece más interesante de lo que es, se queda en película del montón diga de ver en televisión a las cuatro de la tarde en cualquier canal para rellenar el tiempo hasta el prime time

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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5

gamer1234Oct 26, 2018

A shallow movie with pretentions of depth. Full of paper-thin pseudoscience and vague handwavings towards cosmic mind, as well as guns and monsters. Some cool digital art and some atmospheric scene setting, but altogether it falls far shortA shallow movie with pretentions of depth. Full of paper-thin pseudoscience and vague handwavings towards cosmic mind, as well as guns and monsters. Some cool digital art and some atmospheric scene setting, but altogether it falls far short of what it wishes it was. Given other people's ratings I really expected more.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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6

DukeJonNov 21, 2022

Go and see John Carpenter's "The Thing" instead. It's a much better movie than what's on offer here. A confused movie with underwhelming characters and a payoff which you can see 100 miles away. Not enough scares for a horror movie. NotGo and see John Carpenter's "The Thing" instead. It's a much better movie than what's on offer here. A confused movie with underwhelming characters and a payoff which you can see 100 miles away. Not enough scares for a horror movie. Not enough action for an action movie. Not enough psychology for a psychological thriller.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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4

bobpotatoJan 9, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The movie starts with a spoiler for the whole movie. That made me very angry. The caracters are acting very unreal and
the end is one of the baddest ending i ever seen in a movie.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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6

CathexisArcanaMar 27, 2018

I like to keep my reviews brief and in list form, so I will assume the reader has a basic understanding of the movie's plot and and an awareness of the main cast. PROS:

-Interesting concept, and has at least a good sense of mystery at theI like to keep my reviews brief and in list form, so I will assume the reader has a basic understanding of the movie's plot and and an awareness of the main cast. PROS:

-Interesting concept, and has at least a good sense of mystery at the beginning. I like the general idea of a phenomenon causing rapid mutations / evolution in a contained area.

-Solid cast (if not entirely accurate, ahem). Although Gina Rodriguez was weirdly channeling Michelle Rodriguez for some reason. Still, it's Jane, so it's fine.

-There was a moment with a certain mutant bear that was genuinely creepy AF. Also, slithering intestines.

CONS:

-The backstory of Lena (Portman) is slow and nuanced to the point of being boring. She and her husband (Isaac) don't really have strong enough chemistry in the beginning to make us care about their relationship and what happens to them -- or at least I didn't.

-The visual look of the "Shimmer" was not effectively alien to me. It just seemed like a soapy, rainbow-hued veneer, like something you would see in a music video.

-Portman's ragtag team were not interesting or developed (even as supporting characters), and there was very little interplay between them to provide a reason to care what happened to them.

-The ending, while visually interesting, was entirely unsatisfying and inexplicable. Then again, I'm not a fan of the pretentious "so vague it's genius" tactic that some high-minded movies aim for. But the alien mime-off was still kinda cool...… Expand

7 of 8 users found this helpful71

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4

DamnedThingMar 20, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Another one of those what ifs that could have been so much better with a more experienced director. One of the problems with Garland is that he's idolised as a voice of a generation and so carries a weight of expectation on anything he puts his hand to. Along with that, there's more a hint of fawning from British reviewers - so knock at least a star off Empire and Guardian reviews.

Ex Machina was relatively tight, set in a confined space with few characters, it did pose some good questions on AI, humanity, and ego, before setting them aside to focus on manipulation and thrills.

Annihilation is broader in scope but less interesting, less well structured, and confused about what it wants to be; tonally it shifts all over the place. It begins with a meteorite hitting earth. It carries a life form that replicates and mutates across species, as well as between plant and animal. Its effects are spreading outwards from the point of impact at an increasing rate, and the edge of its area of influence can be seen as a shimmer. Teams of people have gone into the 'shimmer', but none have ever come out.

Then one man does, except there's something wrong with him: he's bleeding internally and apparently close to dying. His wife joins up with a team going into the Shimmer in order to get to the source in the hopes that she'll find something that will help.

This is all standard fare for Science Fiction - it's kind of The Andromeda Strain meets War of the Worlds meets Contact meets Alien meets Deliverance; the basic set up could be told in minutes, but it takes forever to get its arse in gear. That's a big part of the problem, the film can't decide what tone to take - it starts off as a drama, then tries to switch up gears to being an adventure into the unknown before switching gears again to survivor horror before going for something trippy.

It just doesn't gel as a whole story, it's more a collection of influences strung together in a manner that's less than the sum of its parts.

Natalie Portman does well with a character who has to be strong enough to survive but who seems too often to be asked to play her part as over-wrought. She's fearless bringing down sharkgator, but that moment is the only one where she seems in command of herself.

Jennifer Jason Leigh rasps her way through things with scene stealing disinterest, which is at least notable. Everyone else is cardboard thin so that by the time they start disappearing one by one, as people in these things are wont to do, it's impossible to care either way.

Aside from Sharkgator there's a Cowbear auditioning for a sequel to the Revenant but it fails because it makes our 13yo boy laugh - this scene goes on far too long and is so clumsily handled that any necessary tension for it to work is lost in a miasma of hohumness. There's another faux Alien bit that's supposedly gory, but again the fakery can be seen a mile off so that when things happen there's no shock or disgust. The idea of an alien virus mutating DNA is interesting, but here it's just used as background wallpaper onto which has been slapped a generic story about a group of red shirts on a mission where things go wrong and they die one by one until there's a lone survivor left. The more interesting story to me was what was happening with Oscar Isaacs character. He turns up bleeding internally on the brink of dying but somehow manages to survive for months - what happened there? Was he being studied? Did they find a 'cure'? He's obviously been quarantined so they must have done tests, even at a cellular level there must have been some discrepancies? How come neither of them turned into tree people?

There are no shocks. There's no horror. It's a bit gory in one scene. There are no thrills at all. The pacing is clunky. It looks very pretty in one or two places.

This isn't so much a deliberately slow-paced film as a low energy one consumed by indecision. Paramount dodged a bullet by Netflixing it.

Meh!… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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6

AcaciaFeb 27, 2018

For the most part, this was a pretty good movie. Loved the scary parts and the story is very intriguing. I was totally feeling it all the way until the end when I just got a bit lost. Still not completely sure what exactly was going on orFor the most part, this was a pretty good movie. Loved the scary parts and the story is very intriguing. I was totally feeling it all the way until the end when I just got a bit lost. Still not completely sure what exactly was going on or exactly what happened at the end, but it was a bit out there for me. I thought the first at least 45 minutes were kind of slow for me. I just wanted the story to get going. Once it did get going, it was very engrossing and I was really along for the ride. It just kind of left me in the dust in the end.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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6

ishadowMar 12, 2018

If you're even remotely interested, watch it on Netflix.
It's a weird movie, pretty much average in everything.
There's no highlights really, but bad moments aren't too often or important. It could better, it could have more logical plot, butIf you're even remotely interested, watch it on Netflix.
It's a weird movie, pretty much average in everything.
There's no highlights really, but bad moments aren't too often or important.
It could better, it could have more logical plot, but it doesn't matter in the end. It's a simple movie, with simple plot, and a lot of overused themes. You watch in anticipation for a big twist or something innovating, but you won't get it.

Pretty much very similar quality to Prometheus or Alien: Covenant. A bit more artistic, but same in the end.

I would regret going to cinema, but it's OK for a Netflix movie, especially with good HDR.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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5

bkristmanMar 13, 2018

A film that tries to make you think you should like it more than you do just because it's 'artsy'.
Wooden,comatose uninspired acting and dialogue .
Starts getting interesting at the end but by then it's too little too late.

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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5

JDDallas1Apr 8, 2018

HIGHLIGHTS of this movie were all in trailer..and I get real angry when moive is hyped to be one thing (action flick) when it is basically another (head trip)..FAR more slow and cerebral than action. I was bored and disappointed. Tone andHIGHLIGHTS of this movie were all in trailer..and I get real angry when moive is hyped to be one thing (action flick) when it is basically another (head trip)..FAR more slow and cerebral than action. I was bored and disappointed. Tone and pace reminded me of The Arrival..if you liked THAT then by all means give this look..just IMO wait for DVD..maybe a 5 is a little unfair..but then again you got my money and time cuz you led me to believe this was gonna be an action roller coaster..and I was stoked for THAT.. not some lame kiddie ride… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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5

jazzy_jeffFeb 27, 2018

A great soundtrack and cool overall style don't make up for the disappointing realization that Annihilation is ultimately a very shallow film. You just think it's going to end up having more to say.

5 of 7 users found this helpful52

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6

MustardTiger4Feb 24, 2018

Feeling underwhelmed from this. Typically with a good sci-fi movie, I leave the theater thinking about the movie and it's implications in our daily lives. In the vein of Ex Machina's exploration of consciousness and artificial intelligence'sFeeling underwhelmed from this. Typically with a good sci-fi movie, I leave the theater thinking about the movie and it's implications in our daily lives. In the vein of Ex Machina's exploration of consciousness and artificial intelligence's need for humans, Arrival's dissection of time, and even Blade Runner 2049's creation of a feeling through the exploration of a consciousness in a dystopic future.

Here, we have what feels like a typical survival movie wrapped in some interesting biological science. The major difference is that, the plot of surviving feels more central to the movie than the human implications of this biological phenomenon. I think a good sci-fi movie should package this in the reverse, where the plot is simply the device they express their greater idea. This was absolutely lacking in Annihilation.

Maybe it's because I went into this with the expectation of an Arrival-like experience, that I left disappointed.… Expand

6 of 9 users found this helpful63

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6

eagleeyevikingApr 6, 2018

More vague than illuminating, "Annihilation" is captivating throughout but ends up feeling like it grasped more than it could hold.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

Captain105Aug 6, 2018

The effects and analog in annihilation are stellar with lots of colors and monsters. A good movie isn’t just affects and monsters it needs a relatable storyline that the audience understands and this was lacking it. The shimmer has noThe effects and analog in annihilation are stellar with lots of colors and monsters. A good movie isn’t just affects and monsters it needs a relatable storyline that the audience understands and this was lacking it. The shimmer has no realistic laws and this makes it sloppy. At any point you can learn a new weird thing that has nothing to do with the movie. It was still going all right and interesting until we got to the end of the movie where (like all movies) it went down hill. I don’t think even the directors know what it means. Audience will love a movie if it is incomprehensible and will think it is brilliant, but I’m not so sure.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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5

SeussMyTubSep 2, 2018

It starts off real well, but like all Alex Garland movies, it peters out in the end.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

AWESOM-0Jan 27, 2020

Better the second time around, but still not that good. It kind of changes the basis of what the novel is about, not minor changes but major. I’m on the fence on whether it’s good or bad seeing as I was not a huge fan of the novel to begin with.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

wollam11Feb 23, 2018

If you ever wondered what it would look like if an advanced alien race decided to terraform our planet right out from under us, look no further. It's as bizarre, disgusting, and beautiful as anyone has any right to ask for. It will definitelyIf you ever wondered what it would look like if an advanced alien race decided to terraform our planet right out from under us, look no further. It's as bizarre, disgusting, and beautiful as anyone has any right to ask for. It will definitely stick in your mind far longer than most movies do.… Expand

7 of 11 users found this helpful74

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4

moviecritic68Mar 22, 2018

This sci-fi film was a real "yawner". The acting was sub-par and the story just dragged on & on. If not for some neat special effects I would have voted in the red area. Watching the reaction of the exiting audience I was not alone in myThis sci-fi film was a real "yawner". The acting was sub-par and the story just dragged on & on. If not for some neat special effects I would have voted in the red area. Watching the reaction of the exiting audience I was not alone in my disappointment… Expand

5 of 8 users found this helpful53

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5

robbywarren93Feb 24, 2018

I'm a film nerd but this is a poor man's Arrival. First two acts are solid but the third act ruins it, completely predictable and unoriginal reveal. No wonder why Paramount was scared about this...

9 of 15 users found this helpful96

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6

moviemitch96Feb 23, 2018

Disappointing and underwhelming follow-up to Alex Garland's brilliant film 'Ex Machina' if you ask me. Definitely had some huge pacing issues and dragged quite a bit throughout most of it, with only a few moments of real intrigue orDisappointing and underwhelming follow-up to Alex Garland's brilliant film 'Ex Machina' if you ask me. Definitely had some huge pacing issues and dragged quite a bit throughout most of it, with only a few moments of real intrigue or excitement. The whole cast felt under-utilized, and even Natalie Portman had only so much to work with in her lead performance. Overall, like I said, it was definitely pretty disappointing on all counts, with a cast that deserved more of an intriguing story and script to work with, and a story that could've expanded more on its ideas rather than just toying with them.… Expand

9 of 16 users found this helpful97

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4

VDSMar 14, 2018

This started off in a very average fashion and went quickly downhill. The people in charge might have been under the impression they were making a ‘think piece’, but not so. This was Sci-Fi by numbers and lucky to even find a home onThis started off in a very average fashion and went quickly downhill. The people in charge might have been under the impression they were making a ‘think piece’, but not so. This was Sci-Fi by numbers and lucky to even find a home on Netflix.

It reminded me a bit of Arrival, insomuch as it was right up itself and adrift at sea on a plot of vapid tripe.

Natalie Portman’s unfortunate cohorts were just there as cannon fodder, to be gobbled up by a not unimpressive beasty. But this wasn’t the thrust of the story, which instead centred around a mysterious lighthouse (Scooby-Doo where are you?), a secret government ops team, missing soldiers and gene mixing aliens. Sound stupid? That’s because it was.

But the best stuff came at the end with super nonsense overdrive and some truly daft scenes between Natalie and the lighthouse keeper.

If you’ve watch the Netflix Cloverfield and then Mute, you’ll know what level of film making craft to expect here. But at least it wasn’t as bad as the uber-ultra hyped not in the least bit scary Veronica, which must surely win the inaugural Netflix Razzie prize.… Expand

6 of 12 users found this helpful66

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6

TryASummersaultMar 5, 2018

3.1/5 Quite underwhelming other than the visuals honestly, and the epitome of style over substance. Plotting was quite nonsensical and directionless.Some very hollow acting other than Portman and some extremly unnecessary sex flashbacks3.1/5 Quite underwhelming other than the visuals honestly, and the epitome of style over substance. Plotting was quite nonsensical and directionless.Some very hollow acting other than Portman and some extremly unnecessary sex flashbacks injected into the film for nothing but shock value. Tried to be way deeper than it was. The only truly exciting scene was in the house with the mutated bear. Both this film and ex machina had extremely misleading trailers making the appear to be sci/fi horror’s and they were drawn out sci fi dramas that lacked anything remotely worthy of being hailed masterpieces. The whole supposed deeper message and symbolization interpretation that so many of these self proclaimed internet geniuses seem to have is quite funny and pretentious. This was a scattered mess with some really interests visuals which at times had some mediocre cgi.… Expand

5 of 10 users found this helpful55

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4

ScienceAdvisorMar 12, 2018

All FX flash, and little substance, wrapped around intellectual ideas that do not adequately tie together. Though the writer/director is hoping you cannot figure that out. It really starts to break down about half-way through when convienceAll FX flash, and little substance, wrapped around intellectual ideas that do not adequately tie together. Though the writer/director is hoping you cannot figure that out. It really starts to break down about half-way through when convience replaces continuity, especially with the environment of the anomaly. This continues the Netflix run of quantity over quality, unfortunately.… Expand

5 of 10 users found this helpful55

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6

JessTurnerMar 29, 2018

It's not a bad _beginning of a story_, if you ignore the uninteresting 'human interest' element that takes up most of it. And I now see that it is only the adaptation of the first of a trilogy. I'll watch the other two if adapted (which meansIt's not a bad _beginning of a story_, if you ignore the uninteresting 'human interest' element that takes up most of it. And I now see that it is only the adaptation of the first of a trilogy. I'll watch the other two if adapted (which means they probably won't get adapted).… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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4

GinaKFeb 26, 2018

I thought this movie was very mediocre. There was no chemistry between Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac, and none between her and the other women in the expedition, all of whom were more interesting as actresses and as characters. TheI thought this movie was very mediocre. There was no chemistry between Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac, and none between her and the other women in the expedition, all of whom were more interesting as actresses and as characters. The “monsters” were very derivative – I had time to think about all the other movies I had seen that were better (for example, all the Alien movies) and the alien area (or whatever) was not very creative either. I was not bored, but I wasn’t very interested or excited either. A great disappointment after "Ex Machina".… Expand

6 of 13 users found this helpful67

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6

whoischarlotteMar 13, 2018

Overall, I thought this was poor, after seeing 5 star reviews of a 'science fiction masterpiece' I expected big things from this film with what seemed to be a solid cast and good direction. But the film was a total headache.

4 of 9 users found this helpful45

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4

NBNEMar 12, 2018

Great premise, falls short. Plot just kind of unravels and doesn't hold together. As mediocre as this is - TONS BETTER THAN BLACK PANTHER!

6 of 14 users found this helpful68

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4

OlivierPielMar 17, 2018

A mediocre effort to revisit Stalker by Tarkovsky. While the Russian master used Tchernobyl and the possibilities of supernatural phenomena to make us dream and dance around epistemology, the concept of nature and art, Hollywood only knowsA mediocre effort to revisit Stalker by Tarkovsky. While the Russian master used Tchernobyl and the possibilities of supernatural phenomena to make us dream and dance around epistemology, the concept of nature and art, Hollywood only knows the ham-fisted, immature and naïve approach. In one scene, Portman stumbles on a couple of deer/antilopes with flowering antlers (DNA echoes itself to create hybrids or alter egos) in the cliched moment of "this world can be beautiful too, you see"). This is supposed to pass as art despite the fact that many 6 year old have come up with the exact concept with her unicorns. Compare this with the scene of Stalker where the three learned men and the stalker fall asleep near a brook where human artifacts lay submerged under algae; a moment of exquisite melancholy.

Only the end sequence in the lighthouse has a brilliant visual scene. Jennifer Jason Leigh is also excellent, her impatience and taciturn air seem directed as much as the other characters than as to the whole enterprise… Expand

6 of 16 users found this helpful610

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5

ProfPandemoniumMar 12, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The poor man's version of Arrival with a heavy dose of Hollywood Feminism. A women with an expertise in cell multiplication is enlisted to save her sick husbands life. Upon arrival she and 4 other women are sent into a near suicidal mission to find the underlying cause of an alien invasion on earth. So many holes in the underlying plot including a moment where the party realizes that going to the coast is the easiest way to the lighthouse where the hive of the alien species exists. Which bodes the question why didn't they just start at the coast in the first place?

To many holes in this poor boy.… Expand

3 of 8 users found this helpful35

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6

Voodoo123Mar 13, 2018

+Thought provoking sci-fi plot
+Great cast
+Excellent visual style -Pacing feels a little off I really enjoyed watching annihilation, couldn't help but feel this could've pushed to a 9 or 10/10 movie if the acting was a little tighter with+Thought provoking sci-fi plot
+Great cast
+Excellent visual style
-Pacing feels a little off

I really enjoyed watching annihilation, couldn't help but feel this could've pushed to a 9 or 10/10 movie if the acting was a little tighter with another director... Saying that it totally works and if your'e a sci-fi fan you owe it to yourself to check this gem!… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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5

muldjordMar 12, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie should be called Assimilation, not Annilihation. There's absolutely no annihilation going on.
You'll hear the phrase "I don't know" a lot. Which is seemingly also what the script writers said whenever they asked themselves the question "So, then what happens?".
It's a tedious mess that has no idea what it is or what it's trying to achieve. Ultimately it ends with a whimper leaving basically no questions answered. But then again, I never figured out what the questions were to begin with.

Ugh... Waste of time. Ex Machina was amazing! This movie is just weirdness for weirdness' sake.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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6

TrevorsViewMar 8, 2018

As it starts, Lena, a biologist, sits in a glassy room, questioned by a scientist in protection equipment who stands over her. She says she has no recollection on whatever just happened, compelling the viewer to remember events as she does.As it starts, Lena, a biologist, sits in a glassy room, questioned by a scientist in protection equipment who stands over her. She says she has no recollection on whatever just happened, compelling the viewer to remember events as she does. After photos in Lena’s sepia-tinted home illustrate her husband’s army life, he returns, devoid of previous recollection himself as to how he returned. Outside her own awareness, a comet strikes a lighthouse, warps its sense of shape or texture, then sets off an expanding rainbow bubble, its shimmery wall set to mutate cell reproduction.

Paralleling scene number one, Lena questioning her husband’s activity in war reverses her interrogation; she stands over him slumped in his seat. Once seated across each other at the table, held hands reflected backwards behind a water glass, his blood appears in said glass, the first sign of his multiple organ failure. Any focus on their eyes throughout this crisis implements whenever they witness obliteration, up until the last frame addresses all you need to know and all you wish to know.

I love underseen independent films like Annihilation, those following nontraditional narrative conventions to take creative liberties in discussing the inner human condition. Alex Garland already perfectly accomplished his breakout art-house feature Ex Machina, so now he brings out another visual delight in his second project, thus far the only movie of 2018 I’ve anticipated the release of!

Garland conveys his actors’ own bent genes, each performance almost appearing alien in a series unevenly blank appearances. Of the talented cast members, Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina, Inside Llewyn Davis) happily sells it best as Lena’s husband. His illness deflects his voice to transparently reveal the sad lack of identity in his eyes: a slow, troubled, very real war veteran. It’s easy to see why Garland works well off Mr. Isaac!

Besides Garland’s attentive direction, the work by production designer Mark Digby (Ex Machina, Slumdog Millionaire) symbolically suggests a DNA strand’s deconstruction and reconstruction. You always seem boxed inside a different world larger than life in the Shimmer’s chaotic colors chosen to suggest self-destruction in a stark contrast against Lena’s boxy interrogation room. Inside the void grows beautiful yet strange flowers living together on a single branch, despite being of diverse species, alongside some technicolor moss and man-shaped bushes. These outlandish mutations hold beauty, although plenty of gruesome, supernatural appearances never shy away from any bodily imagery in its graphic detail that catches you off guard.

But honestly, Alex Garland has got room for improvement, particularly in helping the typical viewer care about the story. The on-the-nose dialogue said by such cold characters also tosses out more expositional information than the average viewer could handle, especially in the first act, all writing the names in the script out to model figures of altered chromosomes rather than well-fleshed out people.

This excess of information attempts to counteract the lack of sincere emotion with a cliché catalyst of Lena’s husband leaving her alone, a plot device done rather weakly compared to other similar scripts. Further validating the cliché, Lena cheats on her husband, in turn making her less sympathetic—would you root for some unfaithful whore? I sure wouldn’t! Especially since Lena expresses few tangible opinions about her team of four other women in their mission through the Shimmer, older viewers might not embrace something as absurd as this journey into the unknown.

However, Annihilation still meets the expectations of art cinema lovers in Alex Garland’s near-horror approach. In each disorienting time narrative beneath the Shimmer, suspense eliminates clear signs of what happens next. Soon, after several attacks by a creature shrouded in darkness, a horrific faceless bear’s roar mixed with a woman’s screams leaves both everything and nothing to the imagination. These are not the types of images you’re able to forget easily, regardless of whether you want it to.

With these brave woman leaders who willingly face up to such horrors previously unimagined, they warn us all, of our eventual end as we watch their individual paths to insanity inside the Shimmer. Likewise, this alternate future’s continental board steers clear of personal demolition, suggesting that the damaged male leaders in the United States wrongly believe women are the true unidentifiable Extra-Terrestrials in the foreign land that is masculine privilege. Considering Hollywood’s confused gender equality nonsense, it deserves some compliments when a motion picture like this one empowers women without devaluing men; they remind us that if equal treatment to both sides is achieved, we have no need to fear an annihilation.… Expand

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4

amheretojudgeMar 13, 2018

did it communicate with you..

Annihilation The far fetched idea is not only visible miles away before its station but even the priorities seem to fade off quite early before the scrutiny even begins. A smart adaptation with strict editingdid it communicate with you..

Annihilation

The far fetched idea is not only visible miles away before its station but even the priorities seem to fade off quite early before the scrutiny even begins. A smart adaptation with strict editing on writing section by Alex Garland is possibly the only reason why someone might survive this feature. But unfortunately as much as to-the-point and gripping the screenplay is, the execution lacks better editing as it chews on this slow pill for almost an extra half an hour (the runtime could have easily been of 90 minutes). Natalie Portman is devastatingly good and there is no flinching on that and on her supporting side Oscar Issac justifies its presence on the screen. Even though the genre depicts horror; which is on a head-scratching level (the "help me" cries will be enough for your nightmares) where even the elders might cringe on the seat, there are some genuinely good visuals that brightens the tone a bit. Annihilation is without a doubt no short on execution (Alex Garland hits perfect mark on executing the paper on screen) then whether it is to project a heart breaking action sequences or horror chills or even creative creatures but what it fails is on offering a newer perspective, better plotline and a good old tale.… Expand

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4

MothmannJun 10, 2019

This is John Carpenter's "The Thing" in essence, in concept, story and some set pieces. Nobody really minds reinvention except when it has been done as poorly as this has. Very slow paced it was quite a drag with very little drama and takingThis is John Carpenter's "The Thing" in essence, in concept, story and some set pieces. Nobody really minds reinvention except when it has been done as poorly as this has. Very slow paced it was quite a drag with very little drama and taking much too long to get going. I give extra points for Portman's convincing performance excellent sound and for the delightful visual spectacle the movie was, and that's about all.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

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5

joshwallFeb 26, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pure silliness. The premise is great but the movie lands quite far from the book. Ridiculous end with a man in what looks like a rubber suit miming with Natalie Portman.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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5

TheBlurbMar 1, 2018

Alex Garland's adaptation of Annihilation is ambiguous at best. The film is loosely based off of Jeff VanderMeer's best selling 'Southern Reach' trilogy. The plot of the film follows the basic outline of around four experts entering theAlex Garland's adaptation of Annihilation is ambiguous at best. The film is loosely based off of Jeff VanderMeer's best selling 'Southern Reach' trilogy. The plot of the film follows the basic outline of around four experts entering the Shimmer to investigate the root cause. Natalie Portman plays the film's lead Lena, with Jennifer Jason Leigh as the psychologist, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, and Tuva Novotny.

The film is told in the perspectives of flashbacks and real time. This makes the viewer easily lose interest in the story if it it doesn't have some sort of consistent thread running through. One of the effects of being in The Shimmer is that you develop a form of dementia. After crossing over, the team awoke with no memory of what happened but deduced through food rations they had been inside for at least three days.

This would have been a very interesting perspective of story telling, however the time jump between the flashbacks, Lena's interrogation, and time spent in the Shimmer is so large that you can never fully get invested. The best parts of the films were when they were inside The Shimmer.

The set director created a world much like that of The Last Of Us with a seemingly constant growth of fungi. It's sort of explained that the rate of evolution moves much faster in this zone and therefore animals and plants take on an other-worldly appearance. Again, just as you are beginning to really get into these moments you are ripped out by a flash back or the interrogation.

On top of this, any time you begin to get a hint of an explanation as to what is going on you are pulled to a totally different scene. It get's more frustrating as the movie goes on because things just stop making sense. This makes it sound like one of those movies that you have to be an intellectual to understand, but it just doesn't make sense. It's almost like Alex Garland took the main parts of the book he liked and then tried to put them together with not much in between.

If you want to make an intriguing sci-fi movie, all the dots need to connect at the end. A lot of the scenes seemed either out of context or just very badly timed, moments that seemed shocking or intriguing were dropped or instantly switched gears. With all of this being said the movie isn't completely terrible.

In fact, the five characters we follow are portrayed very well by the respective actors. Each character had a slightly obscured past, after all this 'suicide mission' is volunteer, that you wanted to know more about. Unfortunately the film didn't offer much character growth for any of them, including the lead.

All things considered this probably wouldn't be your best choice for a movie date, but if you really wanna see it give it a shot. For this writer, the movie wasn't very intriguing as a whole and did many things that reminded me of other sic-fi's I would rather have watched. I understand what the director was going for but in all honesty, I don't feel it was achieved.… Expand

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5

JoeCoolApr 15, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This film has some really nice visuals. Nothing like Valerian of course but nicely done for the budget. More women scientist trying to save the day nonsense. Having it take 3 years for the military to succeed at anything that could be perceived as life-threatening is an insulting bad joke. It's all metaphores for self-destruction and cancer and what not. I'm really not into metaphores for the sake of metaphores. No hazmat suits to go into the shimmer, absurdly long timeperiods pass but the batteries on the camera last a whole year. Too many things just don't make any sense.
The idea was interesting, I'd guess they could have come up with something better if they'd had a bigger budget, but it's pretty flawed to me storywise. Nice visuals so not a complete waste of time, but otherwise pretty meh.… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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5

BroyaxAug 3, 2019

C'est toujours une joie de retrouver Nathalie (en dehors de ses pubs Dior bien sûr) y compris dans un film décidément très bizarre, pas tellement dans le fond (assez classique finalement) mais dans la forme, intrigante, rampante et...C'est toujours une joie de retrouver Nathalie (en dehors de ses pubs Dior bien sûr) y compris dans un film décidément très bizarre, pas tellement dans le fond (assez classique finalement) mais dans la forme, intrigante, rampante et... mutante.

Un peu flippant donc mais davantage étrangement malsain que vraiment horrifique... c'est ce qui fait l'originalité du film précisément mais le dessert à la fois. En tout cas, nos cinq nanas vont voir de quoi il retourne derrière le "miroitement" et elles ne seront pas "déçues"... La fin et son rebondissement assez bidon ne tient pas forcément debout mais justifie le titre accrocheur, j'imagine.

Bien réalisé malgré ses décors un peu tocs, le film peine néanmoins à remporter l'adhésion et si son ambiance suinte l'alien, c'est-à-dire l'autre, "l'étranger" (mimétique et bordélique en même temps), sa lenteur et sa bizarrerie nous assomment un brin et ne nous convainquent pas vraiment.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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6

Mitya64Feb 2, 2019

Интересная задумака. Но слишком затянуто, скучные разговоры, в некоторых местах плохая графика.

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5

I4storysFeb 10, 2019

Meh. At some points, this movie seemed to be more interested in patronizing it's social justice/feminist messaging, the dialogue is often contrived, and Portman's performance is tepid, at best. It's only saving grace is the mysterious natureMeh. At some points, this movie seemed to be more interested in patronizing it's social justice/feminist messaging, the dialogue is often contrived, and Portman's performance is tepid, at best. It's only saving grace is the mysterious nature inherent in the storyline, which kept me watching...and the over-sized fauna of Zone X!… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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6

ErikTheCriticSep 26, 2018

"Annihilation" does have ambition and some thought-provoking themes, however it is sometimes bogged down by excruciatingly slow segments that generate plenty of yawns rather than wows.

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6

Mauro_LanariJul 4, 2021

(Mauro Lanari)
Ovid's "The Metamorphoses" and not Kafka's "The Metamorphosis". Heraclìtèan change in the name of love.

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6

AosaOct 30, 2021

Incredibly beautiful scenery that somehow makes the environment all the more eerie. I was so taken aback at how great this film looks visually. Although the concept is interesting, the plot did hold back the movie somewhat.

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