Released: March 12th 2018 (Netflix)
Length: 115 Minutes
Certificate: 15
Director: Alex Garland
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Oscar Isaac and Benedict Wong
Grounded science fiction can be classed as a sub-genre that
takes place in a world not too dissimilar to our own while incorporating often
frightful disasters or tricky situations into the mix. Coming off a major hit
with directorial debut Ex Machina, Garland dives deeper into the sci-fi genre,
with a slower but equally engaging science fiction film.
Based on the book by Jeff Vandermeer and set in the
near-future, Annihilation concerns the appearance of an unknown region called
The Shimmer or Area X; it has engulfed the reaches of a US national park and
will continue to grow until it envelopes entire population centres. Previous expeditions
have been launched inside in a bid to understand the biomass but to no avail. A
team of all-female scientists trained in direct combat is sent in for the first
time and they begin to uncover the realm’s secrets. Five women make up this
team, the most fleshed out of which being Natalie Portman’s Lena, who
volunteers for the expedition after he husband grows ill after a previous
venture. The story is told from both present and flashback viewpoints as the
film charts both the expedition and Lena’s own tribulations at home. From the
moment it begins, Annihilation marks itself as a very slow-paced and serious
production, with a tantalising mystery slowly drawing the viewer in over its two-hour
runtime. Using the perspectives of the science team is a very good choice, as
we the audience gradually learn more about the Shimmer and its twisting geometries
as they venture deeper in, enhancing the intricacies of the mystery. As they
venture deeper in towards the source of the Shimmer, discoveries are made, and
things become even more twisted, calling into question what the mutation is
really undertaking. If you can stomach the reduced amount of action (which is
used sparingly throughout the proceedings), the film succeeds beyond all doubts
at immersion. The last act is almost exclusively visual storytelling with
minimal dialogue and will no doubt prompt plenty of questions and
interpretations.
Characters are fairly few and far between in Annihilation,
with the team of scientists being placed at the centre of the proceedings with
little to distract. Lena is especially well-portrayed by Portman as she
captures both a serious side to being a former soldier and scientist while also
hiding the more emotional aspects of her character’s struggle, particularly when
it comes to her husband Kane (played by Oscar Isaac with suitably cryptic
traits). The other members of the expedition team are admittedly underdeveloped
with only a few sprinklings of backstory revealed about them, but the
performances are nevertheless very well done, especially when tension sets in
and divides the group. The entrance of more psychologically unstable breakdowns
are undoubtedly the highlights of the film, walking the line between nuance and
full-on madness as they journey towards the source of the phenomenon. There is
enough time dedicated to bringing the group together and seeing them interact,
allowing the side actors to overcome to relatively limited amount of material
they have to work with. They each reflect the grim situation they find
themselves in, creating an authentic portrayal of how a situation like Area X
would be handled.
Annihilation is often visually spectacular, but this is a
case where the special effects make the most of a limited setting. The Shimmer
hangs over a national park filled with mutated forest growth and roamed by
hostile creatures. There’s plenty of visual cues to set it apart from the real
world, including a strange glow hanging over the proceedings, mutated trees and
visual effects on the various wildlife and fauna that really give off an
other-worldly presence. The lack of music, combined with these visual effects
creates an unrelenting atmosphere that pulls you in just as the characters are
entering the Shimmer themselves. There’s a significant amount of ambience
throughout the film as it makes use of audio cues to clue the viewer in to its
landscapes. A wide range of shots is used to both give off the wide-reach of
Area X, before moving closer to create tinges of horror and rising tension. The
highlight of the design work culminates in the final act as a bright,
unrelenting fiery effect engulfs the last revelations thrown at the audience.
While more minimalistic than other science fiction films, Annihilation should receive
high commendations by making its seemingly basic world feel incredibly
absorbing, provoking fascination within any audience who takes the plunge.
Annihilation is another excellent effort from Alex Garland,
whose deliberately slow and contained approach to filmmaking has creating an
intoxicating, atmospheric and highly thought-provoking piece. Despite being
moved to Netflix rather than getting a full release, you should give it your
attention.
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Brilliant)
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