Flashes of horror dot this journey of creative destruction.
Somewhere along the way, someone must have asked while filming Annihilation, “What the f&%k are we making?” and a voice surely answered, “I’m not sure, but we can’t stop now.” The result is disturbing, thought-provoking, and insanely gorgeous.
Natalie Portman plays Lena, the lynchpin of a story that’s essentially about a small group of people but is really about a place, Area X. Something happened there, and now this geography beyond comprehension is spreading. They call it “the shimmer,” and it shines both brightly and weirdly.
There’s a love story at the core of Annihilation. Kane (Oscar Isaac with a slight southern drawl), Lena’s husband, has gone into Area X. He’s now back, but something ain’t right. He is her gateway onto the next mission into this mysterious place.
Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is a psychologist leading this expedition. Leigh plays her almost comically understated, but it works. Mainly because once they’re inside, everything is over the top.
The way Area X reveals itself is slow but methodical. From botany-based oddities to dangerous animals (one might say monsters), by the time the ultimate destination is reached, the group has been through a lot. And it doesn’t stop there.
Annihilation is at its best when it’s pure so-scared-I-can’t-scream horror in the vein of films like Alien. Its non-linear narrative works mainly because nothing else about this story is straightforward either. By the time the story concludes, the audience has been knocked off-kilter for good.
Based on a book by Jeff VanderMeer and directed by Alex Garland, Annihilation breaks free from strict ties to its source material quickly. Still, it captures the same fantastical sci-fi the author is known for. Whether or not it becomes a hit with audiences remains to be seen, but anyone who sees this film won’t soon forget it.
Annihilation opens February 23, 2018 in the U.S.