Annihilation - movie review
Annihilation
Plot: A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.
Cast: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez
Director: Alex Garland
Certificate: 15 (strong language, gore, sex)
Runtime: 1hr 55 mins
Release Date: Monday 12th March 2018
Experimental science fiction. It's a genre that divides all. Some adore it. Many loathe it. I am often on the fence. As a disclaimer to begin, I'm a huge advocate of sci-fi pushing the boundaries and despite not liking some entries, I always appreciate the leap in risk. Occasionally, when the risk pays off for myself, the film knocks it out of the park. Interstellar and 2001: A Space Odyssey are prime examples as they rank up there among as some of my favourite movies ever made. Annihilation is the newest experiment in the world of science fiction and, whilst I appreciate the effort to do something different, it didn't work for me as an end product.
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| I imagine this is how women feel when guys start hitting on them at the club. |
I'm being humble about my negative perception of Annihilation because it really does try to be something completely new and fresh providing a very psychological take on the science fiction genre. Unfortunately, I really struggled to connect emotionally to the characters and their story for me to fully invest in the overall odyssey. With as little detail as purposefully possible, Annihilation follows a group of scientists tasked with exploring this peculiar phenomenon that has isolated a small area on the planet. As they enter, laws of science and reality are flipped on their head as things take a really strange turn. Keeping the synopsis as vague as possible, Annihilation prides itself on its secrecy and mystery. The trailers have deliberately only shown you a small fraction of the film with many other details hidden. The final act of Annihilation is where it will have most people talking and is where the experimental side of Garland comes alive. It's bizarre, unexpected and certainly unlike anything put on screen to date but, and this is coming from someone who didn't overly enjoy the film, the conclusion will stick with you as you play it over in your brain to try and understand its true meaning that is bolstered by a soul shaking score. Alex Garland emerges as a visionary in his field as his direction is precise and remiscient of a David Lynch if he were given a larger budget and told to make a sci-fi film. The visuals (both cinematographic and VFX) are stunning. Garland is a force of nature behind the camera with a flurry of luminescent colours decorating the screen as soon as they step into 'The Shimmer'. He proved he was a capable director with Ex Machina (another experimental sci-fi that I failed to connect with emotionally) and he adds another impressive directorial feat to an early yet blooming résumé. Alongside his sci-fi flair, Garland often incorporates graphic body horror in some fairly intense sequences involving well-designed practical monsters harkening back to underground hits of the 70s and 80s. However, reverting back to my integral criticism, this sequence of horror would have been far more effective if I actually felt for the characters involved.
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| Ok. Who laced my corn flakes with magic mushrooms? |
FACT: Oscar Isaac filmed this movie and Star Wars: The Last Jedi on adjacent studio lots. He had the same trailer for both films and would often film scenes for both movies on the same day.
Garland's Kryptonite lies in the script although, seeing as he took a more lucid interpretation of Annihilation's source material, whether he can be blamed for fairly thinly realised protagonists is dependent on the angle he differed from. The significant mystery of Annihilation is set up with an initial excitement but soon dissipates as we are introduced to Portman's stoic and one-dimensional lead. It's not that Portman doesn't try to make something with her character but it's that she's never given any depth to work with. The same goes for Leigh and Thompson who are both only given a shred of explanation of who they are but were craving for a greater richness in realisation. It was only Gina Rodriguez who is given the meatiest role as the psychological effects of 'The Shimmer' takes the greatest toll on her. I'd imagine, seeing as her hit show Jane The Virgin is bowing out indefinitely, Rodriguez will soon be on her path to stardom and this is but a stepping stone. The team dynamic is rarely utilised as Garland adopts the more individual brainiac sensibilities however, it was quite refreshing to see a female led science fiction adventure that never felt the need to constantly remind you of their genders. In fact, they did, at points, remind me of a hardened version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; Leonardo (Jason Leigh - in charge and trying to keep a level head wherever possible), Raphael (Rodriguez - a wild card that rejects authority and lashes out), Donatello (a weird, techno-gifted genius that suffers with social issues) and Michelangelo (Portman - happy to be along for the ride). Garland also has some loose footing with his editing as, just as the action is building to a crescendo, he often cuts to a flashback between Portman and her M.I.A husband, Oscar Isaac who is criminally underused in the film. Garland then adopts a tactic in which he cuts forward to events after the expedition in which we learn about the fates of characters long before we see them transpire, sucking the intensity out of any prolonged sequences of terror. The experience of Annihilation is also hindered due to a Netflix release within the UK. I believe, that to fully get the best possible experience of Garland's work, his film needs to be seen on a big screen rather than the screen of a phone or a computer. To those with a home cinema system, use and abuse that.
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| Natalie Portman - Crocodie Dentist. |
I'm going to suggest something I'd never thought I'd do with my reviews. For a quality of film that I would not usually recommend, I am actually going to suggest to give Annihilation a shot if experimental sci-fi intrigues you. If it doesn't, then steer well clear but just because I couldn't connect on an emotional level, the visuals on display and breathtaking risks taken is worth at least a gamble. Yet, if I'm giving my honest opinions on the film, it was a fairly laborious watch that faltered with unremarkable characters.
My Verdict: 4.5/10
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