Annihilation is a 2018 science fiction horror film directed by Alex Garland, starring Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac. Based on the novel of the same name by Jeff Vandermeer, the story follows a group of scientists who enter a mysterious quarantined zone of mutating plants and animals called “The Shimmer”.

Plot: The film follows Lena as she recounts the events surrounding her expedition into “the Shimmer”. In all honesty, it’s a pretty interesting story and Lena’s recounting of the situation does add something unique to the story making it as personal as it is grand in scale. Also, while we’re watching the story, we’re also provided with flashbacks leading up to and after her husband’s disappearance. It’s a pretty slow buildup with not a lot of action but for the strong character development and the mounting suspense. It does have a pretty open ended ending and I can understand if viewers are a little confused. I personally would’ve liked to have seen more. (4 out of 5)

Characters: The film does a good job of establishing some pretty interesting characters, and though the main cast are women, they don’t feel forced or caricatures of “strong” women. Lena is the cellular biology professor and former U.S. Army soldier and lead heroine of our film, who ventures into “the Shimmer” to find answers to the mystery surrounding her husband. Lena joins psychologist Dr. Ventress, paramedic Anya, physicist Josie, and geomorphologist Cass. The characters do feel unique with their own share of quirks, strengths and weaknesses that provide for interesting perspectives. I would’ve liked to have seen more with Lena’s husband Kane, Lena’s inquisitor Lomax, and Lena’s coworker Daniel but they do provide context to her character. (4 out of 5)

Cast: I have to say that despite the many good things I’ve heard about this film, I was thrown for a loop by how good the cast and performances are. Natalie Portman takes the lead and I have to say that she’s awesome. Portman is joined by Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, and Tuva Novotny. Really liked the chemistry between the five. Other performances include Oscar Isaac, Benedict Wong, Sonoya Mizuno, and David Gyasi. (5 out of 5)

Visuals: This is just a beautiful looking film. Everything from the set design to the production value just shows how much effort was put into this film. The world of “the Shimmer” is as beautiful as it is mysterious with the wonderful camera angles capturing it masterfully through the use of practical and computer generated. The creature designs are pretty rad as well; nightmarish such as the mutated bear while some are majestic like the deer. The “Shimmer” effects looks otherworldly and used as a backdrop keeps the film feeling like the characters are in another plane of existence. All-in-all, it’s a pretty brilliant looking film. (5 out of 5)

Score: The movie has a pretty deep musical composition; both in terms of the score and the soundtrack. The sound design is on point, with the feel of the “Shimmer” as well as the creature noises. One of my favorite themes is Lena’s final confrontation at the end. Strong with a good bass. (4 out of 5)

Writing: This movie could win an award for the fantastic direction that Alex Garland provides. He has had his hand in a couple movies that I’ve found quite favorable, such as being a writer in 2002’s 28 Days Later, 2012’s Dredd, and even directed the fantastic 2014 Ex Machina film. The film itself has an unique presentation into the human psyche. The characterization is done exceptionally well, setting given unique attention, maintains a slow and ever growing suspense, and good dialogue. One of the few nitpicks of the film is that it doesn’t feel long enough. There are things in the film that would’ve helped to have been further explored such as seeing more creatures or the aftermath of those who’ve went in before. This is definitely one of those films that needs to have a DVD release with a shit ton of deleted scenes of conversations and incidents in the “Shimmer”. The writing also manages to be pretty thought provoking, and it is thanks in part to the subtlety of the film’s deliverance and the unique style of storytelling. Some of the best scenes in the film is the second attack by the mutant bear and Josie’s “death”. (4 out of 5)

The Verdict: In the end, Annihilation is one of those films that manages to be interesting yet original. Despite some small nitpicks, mostly how the film would’ve been better had it been a little longer, this film is surprisingly good. It has great direction, good writing, fantastic performances, great visuals, an awesome score, and a great cast. Annihilation gets 4 out of 5.