Science-Fiction is always a tough genre to step into a mixed bag. Some of the best, most iconic films in contemporary cinema are sci-fi flicks, but so are some of the worst. The quality ones capture humanity’s fears and manage to captivate our imaginations in the process. Movies that make you both think and feel just have a way of sticking with you. Thankfully Annihilation is the former rather than the latter.
With this film, writer/director Alex Garland has firmly established himself as a force to be reckoned with. His directorial debut (Ex Machina) was a terrifying and stylish mindbender that wound up being one of the best, most creative films of 2014. So, it was nice to see he didn’t take his foot off the gas for his sophomore effort. Unlike his debut project, Garland adapted the novel of the same name by Jeff Vandermeer this time around. Fortunately, his visual style and penchant for writing tension carried over and shone through in the final product.
Having good partners goes a long way too so it’s no surprise to see Mark Digby right there bringing Garland’s vision to life once again. Because of the setting, his production design had a very natural and organic feel, while still maintaining an air of mystery and wonder. How the “shimmer” interacts with our world was very cleverly integrated and interesting to watch. I don’t want to give too much away, but the marriage between the familiar and the foreign is done gradually and is just really cool. While the science behind that plot mechanism isn’t exceptionally strong, it’s good enough to get over the hump and keep things moving. While the story is prefaced (and the film is paced) as if there’s going to be some grand reveal, the climax is more of a slow burn. Fortunately, that decision shaped the overall product into more of a cerebral sci-fi before the credits rolled.
One thing that couldn’t be helped by the script was the complete lack of chemistry between Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac. They are two actors whose work I generally like, and even have some strong individual moments in this film, but there was something that just wasn’t clicking between them. Nuptial issues between their characters, Lena and Kane, are written into the script, but the sales job when they’re supposed to be happily married was sub par at best. Lena’s character motivation is directly tied to that relationship but it never feels quite authentic and sort of lingers, waiting for resolution as if she’s motivated by guilt rather than love. Isaac was a big part of the success in Ex Machina but here he’s relegated to a very limited supporting role, taking a back seat to a cast full of relatively unknown actresses and Jennifer Jason Leigh. She had a remarkable comeback role in Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight but has subsequently struggled to find another role that showcases the real depth of her talent. The character of Dr. Ventress was actually a good fit for her, complex and layered, but she too was relegated to mostly background duty while the younger supporting cast around Portman led the way.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my time doing this, it’s that Francine Maisler is probably the best in the business when it comes to casting. Once again she put together a group of diverse and talented ladies to round out the primary cast. From rising star Tessa Thompson (who you may recognize from Creed or the latest Thor) to Tuva Novotny (known for Eat Pray Love) the women in the primary supporting cast gave strong, well rounded performances that shaped the definitive relationships in the film…a makeshift sisterhood. Paramount among them was Gina Rodriguez (who you may know from the TV show Jane the Virgin) as paramedic Anya Thorensen. Her vibrance and enthusiasm are quickly replaced by a fragility and emotional instability as the “shimmer” begins to manipulate the group both physically and mentally. Rodriguez plays both sides of the fence exceedingly well and embodies the psychological-thriller elements of the film to a tee. She’s only got a couple projects on deck in the for 2018-2019 so far, but after this effort I would be surprised if she didn’t get a significant push before the end of the year.
It’s relatively easy to dismiss the importance of a strong original music in a film when it’s not memorable. However, when done right, it’s nearly impossible not to notice. This is more a case of the latter rather than the former. It’s not often (or ever) a film score is composed with acoustic guitar leading the way, but the original music by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury is very cool and unique in that way. It both mirrors and heightens the timbre of the screenplay, creating tension through relative calm rather than forcing the issue with a heavy hand. The simplicity of the chords and steadiness of the rhythm are both soothing and intense…as if Johnny Cash is going to jump in an start singing about death.
While the original trailers peaked my interest, I kind of lost track of the release date as awards season ramped up towards the Oscars. Going in with relatively low expectations, I was glad to walk away out of the theater impressed and with lingering thoughts about the film’s meaning. Whether or not Annihilation goes down as a sci-fi masterpiece remains to be seen, but it was a very well put together effort with plenty of style and substance to keep you engaged. As a frame of reference, it’s current IMDB score of 7.9 is higher than most of the Best Picture Nominees including the winner: The Shape of Water. Food for thought.
Recommendation: If you are a fan of creepy, intellectual science-fiction, then this is right up your alley. It’s engaging on a personal level, although not the most personal level, and it’ll keep you on your toes. This isn’t really a date-movie or the best choice for a family outing due to the R rating and the subject of marital infidelity, but that alone shouldn’t stop you from giving it a chance. The other box office offerings aren’t particularly strong right now either, so now is a good time to give a film like this a chance.
Grade: B