Review: Annihilation (2018)

Directed by Alex Garland

Starring: Natalie Portman

The plot follows a group of military scientists who enter "The Shimmer", a mysterious quarantined zone of mutating landscapes and transforming creatures.

We are finally into 2019. 2018 was a great year for films, and while I am working on my top 10 list, I have decided to watch the remaining films I haven't seen in 2018. Let us start with a film that has been on my list since it's release, which is Alex Garland's Annihilation. As I expected, the film was great and mysterious.

Alex Garland is becoming one of my favorite directors of recent years, since his directorial debut film Ex Machina. Not only is he a talented director, but a talented screenwriter, and I realized he also wrote the screenplay for 28 Days Later, which is one of my favorite horror films of all time.

The plot is interesting and special, but hard to follow for some. The first half of the film is slightly slow, and nothing really happens, but it does pick up and finish on a high note. Natalie Portman did a good job, but I wouldn't say it is one of her best performances either. I really couldn't care less for the other characters, as they were rather annoying to follow and poorly developed. The final 30 minutes of the film was spectacular, and will remain with you after the film is over.

Presentation wise, this film is very beautiful. The cinematography was fantastically done once again by Rob Hardy (who also shot Ex Machina). The production design was great, and showcased the isolated, apocalyptic look of "The Shimmer". The visual effects were incredible, and enhanced the mysterious tone the film executes perfectly. The CGI is near flawless. When I first saw that "bear", I was amazed and frightened from how perfectly executed the visual effects were. Alongside, the great sound design and eerie soundtrack (which really reminds me of Under The Skin), these elements all blend to a cinematic experience I will not forget.

The film is not easy to follow, and is very weird at times, but I wouldn't say it's stupid. I love unique films, and this film is certainly unique, but that also means it's not for everyone. It's so stupid that at times, I just see people criticize a film just because the film doesn't necessarily hold their hand. This film does the same, and does not hold the hand of the audience, and expects you to interpret the missing links. One thing I must add, is that this film marketed it as a horror action film, and while there are some action elements in the film, it IS NOT an action film.

In conclusion, some will dislike this film due to it's inconsistent pacing, and hard to follow story-line, but I for one did not find it boring at all, especially since the film is shot beautifully and has great sound and production design. If you haven't seen this film, I definitely recommend watching it. One of my favorite films of 2018, and it can be seen at anytime from the comfort of your couch on Netflix. If you are looking for a really well executed sci-fi horror film, then this is the film for you.

My rating: 8.5/10

#FilmReview #2018