Annihilation
3/4
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, Tuva Novotny, Oscar Isaac
Rated R for Violence, Bloody Images, Language and Some Sexuality
"Annihilation" is ambitious. That's the first descriptor that comes to mind when discussing this trippy adventure/horror film. It never takes the easy way out and isn't afraid of dealing with intellectually challenging material. It's also a bit of a mess, but not so much that it becomes a big deal. Another rewrite on the script and more confident direction would have helped the film have a bigger punch, but it's certainly worth seeing for those who have interest.
Because "Annihilation" is one of those movies where it's best to go in blind, I say as little as possible about the plot. Lena (Portman) is a biologist who has given up the life of a soldier to become a professor to medical students. Her husband Kane (Isaac) went missing during his last mission a year ago and hasn't been seen since, but Lena refuses to move on. And for good reason, since he returns out of the blue. But joy turns to fear when the newly uncommunicative Kane suddenly has a massive medical crisis. On the way to the hospital, they are kidnapped by government officials. Lena wakes up in a mysterious facility being interrogated by a psychologist named Dr. Ventress (Leigh). Her husband is in a coma and unlikely to wake up. Soon Lena finds out where Kane went, and, desperate for answers and hoping for a way to save her husband, she volunteers to go as well.
Although it may seem like it, "Annihilation" is not an action film. There is violence, some of which is particularly gruesome, but this is more a sci-fi mystery. Interestingly, I thought of "The Endless," which had a similar structure and way of mixing mind-bending philosophy and suspense. And in all honesty, it did it much butter. "Annihilation" has a bigger budget and a cast that includes Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh, neither the script nor the direction are as crisp. "The Endless" was carefully constructed like a piece of music. Or internet code.
This is a departure for Natalie Portman. Normally the actress plays parts that emphasize her ability to mix intelligence with vulnerability. When it comes to playing a gun-toting toughie, she isn't the first person that comes to my mind. Surprisingly, she holds her own. Portman is convincing as a soldier-turned-biologist, and shows no awkwardness when firing an assault rifle. Is she the best choice? Probably not (I might have picked Jessica Chastain), but she hasn't been this good in years. Her co-stars are adequate (Jennifer Jason Leigh's insistence on talking quietly all the time as the side effect of giving her voice an annoying croak).
The visual effects crew deserves special mention. Without giving anything away, I will say that they worked very hard creating images that both please the eye and raise the creepy factor. There are things in this movie that you likely have never seen before, and in an era where most special effects are just superheroes throwing things at each other and watching buildings crumble, it's nice to see people who understand that the little things can make bigger impressions. Here, less is definitely more.
I also have reservations about the ending. In many ways, it's inevitable, but it's also such a cliché that I had to stifle a small groan. And the more you think about it, the less shocking it is. Maybe what annoyed me is less about what happened than how Alex Garland chooses to handle it. A director this smart and creative (he directed "Ex Machina" four years ago) could surely have picked a less obvious and more thoughtful way to deal with the same concept.
That "Annihilation" didn't make a splash at the box office doesn't really surprise me, particularly considering the backstage drama. First, this is a cerebral thriller, and it's one that is a bit sloppy. "Annihilation" was only ever going to be a cult movie at best, something that the studio should have foreseen. After a poor test screening, Paramount demanded changes to increase box office appeal, but producer Scott Rudin (who had final cut rights) stood by the director. Paramount didn't back down, and only released the film theatrically in the US. Honestly, that might have been the best move. It raised awareness about a flawed but compelling movie that will play almost as well on a home TV screen.
With "Annihilation," it's clear that Alex Garland has probably bitten off more than he can chew. But the film is compelling enough that even aside from the fact that it takes risks, I have no qualms about recommending this movie. Just understand that this isn't "Aliens." It's a mindbender through and through.
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, Tuva Novotny, Oscar Isaac
Rated R for Violence, Bloody Images, Language and Some Sexuality
"Annihilation" is ambitious. That's the first descriptor that comes to mind when discussing this trippy adventure/horror film. It never takes the easy way out and isn't afraid of dealing with intellectually challenging material. It's also a bit of a mess, but not so much that it becomes a big deal. Another rewrite on the script and more confident direction would have helped the film have a bigger punch, but it's certainly worth seeing for those who have interest.
Because "Annihilation" is one of those movies where it's best to go in blind, I say as little as possible about the plot. Lena (Portman) is a biologist who has given up the life of a soldier to become a professor to medical students. Her husband Kane (Isaac) went missing during his last mission a year ago and hasn't been seen since, but Lena refuses to move on. And for good reason, since he returns out of the blue. But joy turns to fear when the newly uncommunicative Kane suddenly has a massive medical crisis. On the way to the hospital, they are kidnapped by government officials. Lena wakes up in a mysterious facility being interrogated by a psychologist named Dr. Ventress (Leigh). Her husband is in a coma and unlikely to wake up. Soon Lena finds out where Kane went, and, desperate for answers and hoping for a way to save her husband, she volunteers to go as well.
Although it may seem like it, "Annihilation" is not an action film. There is violence, some of which is particularly gruesome, but this is more a sci-fi mystery. Interestingly, I thought of "The Endless," which had a similar structure and way of mixing mind-bending philosophy and suspense. And in all honesty, it did it much butter. "Annihilation" has a bigger budget and a cast that includes Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh, neither the script nor the direction are as crisp. "The Endless" was carefully constructed like a piece of music. Or internet code.
This is a departure for Natalie Portman. Normally the actress plays parts that emphasize her ability to mix intelligence with vulnerability. When it comes to playing a gun-toting toughie, she isn't the first person that comes to my mind. Surprisingly, she holds her own. Portman is convincing as a soldier-turned-biologist, and shows no awkwardness when firing an assault rifle. Is she the best choice? Probably not (I might have picked Jessica Chastain), but she hasn't been this good in years. Her co-stars are adequate (Jennifer Jason Leigh's insistence on talking quietly all the time as the side effect of giving her voice an annoying croak).
The visual effects crew deserves special mention. Without giving anything away, I will say that they worked very hard creating images that both please the eye and raise the creepy factor. There are things in this movie that you likely have never seen before, and in an era where most special effects are just superheroes throwing things at each other and watching buildings crumble, it's nice to see people who understand that the little things can make bigger impressions. Here, less is definitely more.
I also have reservations about the ending. In many ways, it's inevitable, but it's also such a cliché that I had to stifle a small groan. And the more you think about it, the less shocking it is. Maybe what annoyed me is less about what happened than how Alex Garland chooses to handle it. A director this smart and creative (he directed "Ex Machina" four years ago) could surely have picked a less obvious and more thoughtful way to deal with the same concept.
That "Annihilation" didn't make a splash at the box office doesn't really surprise me, particularly considering the backstage drama. First, this is a cerebral thriller, and it's one that is a bit sloppy. "Annihilation" was only ever going to be a cult movie at best, something that the studio should have foreseen. After a poor test screening, Paramount demanded changes to increase box office appeal, but producer Scott Rudin (who had final cut rights) stood by the director. Paramount didn't back down, and only released the film theatrically in the US. Honestly, that might have been the best move. It raised awareness about a flawed but compelling movie that will play almost as well on a home TV screen.
With "Annihilation," it's clear that Alex Garland has probably bitten off more than he can chew. But the film is compelling enough that even aside from the fact that it takes risks, I have no qualms about recommending this movie. Just understand that this isn't "Aliens." It's a mindbender through and through.
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