"Annihilation" is Amazing. Period.

   
    This weekend, amidst the insane wake of Black Panther's incredible success, a couple of new films opened that many may not get around to seeing until after their second or third go-around of Marvel's latest flick. I get that, I do. Black Panther is an amazing piece of cinema and should be seen by all, multiple times. That being said, I watched a film last night on it's opening night, that stuck with me so much after viewing it that I had to see it again. As I write this I am a couple hours removed from my second viewing of the sci-fi flick Annihilation, and my mind is still spinning. After spending time really digesting this film, I can't help but think of what a masterful piece of cinema it truly is. I was blown away upon my first viewing, and I went into the second this afternoon thinking "Now that I've seen it I'll be able to catch certain things more clearly." Truth be told, I did catch things in a different light, and by the time the credits began to roll for the second time, I was still in awe with the experience. The theories I had at first suddenly and unexpectedly shifted, as my perspective going into this viewing had shifted. For this review I'm going to strive heavily to stay out of spoiler territory. Hopefully my thoughts aren't all screwy and all over the pace. Bear with me.

   Let me just start by saying that Annihilation will, most certainly, be one of those films that people either love or hate. It's not a film for everyone. Sci-fi fans will probably love this movie, but there will be those that will just plain hate it. Whatever your tastes may be, I can guarantee you'll have some sort of emotional response to the film. I took my wife on the first viewing, whose tastes in film aren't as wide as mine, and her immediate response when it was over was "This movie stressed me out." Did she like it? Not so much, but the movie resonated with her regardless. Writer/director Alex Garland made waves with his last film Ex Machina, which I think is one of the better sci-fi films to have come out in the last few years, and he's continued that trend here with Annihilation. The film is an adaptation of the first book in a trilogy written by Jeff VanderMeer. In it, a group of women of various backgrounds and fields of expertise venture into a weird, growing phenomenon nicknamed The Shimmer that has begun to alter the environment that it has consumed. Once inside, these women experience some really trippy stuff. The movie is marketed as a horror/thriller, but trust me when I say that it is anything but that. There are some scary moments, for sure. However this movie is much more of a scientific mystery that unfolds throughout the narrative, posing questions and themes that are deeply analytical.

   Natalie Portman plays Lena, a biologist whose husband (Oscar Isaacs) has been missing for a year after venturing into the shimmer. When he suddenly reappears with not rhyme or reason, she is summoned to help investigate the shimmer further. Along with four other women (played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tuva Novotny, and Tessa Thompson), Lena ventures into the shimmer and the mind-bending begins. There is evidence of biological manipulation occurring within the shimmer, and as the group ventures farther in, their own connection with this biological shift is explored in really intriguing ways. They run into some genetically altered creatures that are horrifying. There is a particularly unsettling scene involving a gruesome-looking bear inside a rundown house that will have you at the edge of your seat. All of these major moments can be found within the first two-third of the film, which play out as this mysterious thriller. It's when the movie shifts into the third act that things get a bit...metaphysical. I'll just leave it at that.

 
    The production of this film is AB-SO-LUTE-LY GORGEOUS! Some of the best use of CGI in any film in the last few years is present in this movie, and I was in awe if it during both viewings. The shimmer looks like soapy water, and once you're inside, the way Alex Garland uses light as it shines through this shimmer is really, really cool. The cinematography is some of the best I've seen, and the sound-mixing my gosh. The sounds and music in this film are a character all on their own. This movie needs to be seen on the big screen, and the unfortunate aspect about this movie's run is that it won't be out in theaters long. Due to a floundering year last year, Paramount Studios opted to release the film to theaters only in The U.S., Canada, and China, having sold the film to Netflix. So, in a few weeks or so Annihilation will be available worldwide on Netflix, and then some time after that it will be available to Netflix in The U.S., Canada and China. The visuals alone in this movie are worth your money, and if you have the chance to see it in theaters, I urge you to do so.

   Again, as I mentioned before, this movie won't be for everyone. The narrative poses some interesting questions about the relationship between man and the environment, about the origin of the human species, and explores this idea of social degradation on an individual level through compelling metaphors and insane visuals. Already there are loads of theories and interpretations about this film to fill a book, which is fantastic. The performances in this film are so good. Natalie Portman has such a weight to carry in this film, and for the most part she gets to share it with four other women. Each character has their own unique arc, and what's interesting is that their specific arcs are cleverly connected with their experience in the shimmer, more so on a metaphorical plane than a surface level connection. Portman as the central protagonist handles her role brilliantly, and I believed each and every one of them on screen. I was completely sucked into this world before ever venturing into the shimmer, and that's a tip of the hat to these fine actresses. Oscar Issacs has a uniquely important role in the film and he is great as well.

   My only real gripe I have with this film is minor at best. There is a specific subplot dealing with Natalie Portman's character that doesn't really pay off, and on second viewing--though I see why it's there and how it suits the story--I just felt that ultimately it was unnecessary. That aside, this movie delivers everything I would have ever wanted from a sci-fi film, and even more that I didn't know I wanted. I feel like this review has been vague at best, but getting into too much detail would be venturing into spoiler territory. The third act and the ending is where most of my analytical brain power is currently thriving, and though I want to discuss it here, I don't want to spoil anything. There's a particular twist that is both subtle and ambiguous, and it's blowing my mind as I write.

   Look, if you haven't gotten the hint yet, this film is one of a kind. We don't see movies like this very often and when they come around they should be celebrated. I've seen it twice now within 24 hours, and I could easily see it multiple more times simply because it'll deliver something new upon each viewing. Annihilation is sci-fi at its best. The story is compelling, the music and sound are incredible, the visuals are a feast for the eyes, the acting and cinematography is fantastic, and I highly recommend this film, one gazillion percent. See it before someone spoils anything for you, because it's great.