An Experiment in Science-Fiction

Rating: 9/10 (12 March 2018)

This is one mind-boggling film. Experimentative in nature and sentimental in emotion, Annihilation is not meant to be a cohesive film, moreover it is an abstract tip-toe into the art of science-fiction. As a sci-fi enthusiast, this incredibly ambitious story is more than my cup of tea. As a physicist, this challenges science by proposing a radical theory about a type of being that refracts everything (even DNA) into something else. I emphasise radical, because this is fiction after all, but with the range of imagination that we have as a species, why shouldn't we reach hypothetically for the impossible.
Alex Garland has produced something rather extraordinary in this tale, based on the highly-acclaimed novel by Jeff VanderMeer. Transferring to film has provided the visual aspect that this story needed, and Garland has not held back. In short, the film is beautifully brought to life with barely a shot wasted on colour and detail. Some of the scenery is breathtaking, and the final thirty minutes are something to behold in terms of not just imagery, but sound too. It rivals both Arrival and 2001: A Space Odyssey in terms of labyrinthine storytelling - not that it's complicated, but it will challenge your mindset. There are a number of dark revelations that will stick with you for days after the film.
The cast are infallible - Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tessa Thompson are all superb in their roles, helping to build the bizzarely tense plot. Oscar Isaac is a great supporting cast member, effectively playing two contrasting versions of the same person - one that's loving and playful; the other emotionless and eerie. I do hope Portman and Leigh are recognised for awards, they both channel their emotion in different ways.
Ultimately though, the medal of success should go to Garland who's direction is the main event of the film. The switching between current and past events helps to show the surreality of the explorers' situations. The clash of beauty and darkness is strikingly clear, especially when it comes to the emaciated bear that stalks them. This was possibly the most tense scene of the film. In conclusion, the amalgamation of experimental storytelling, visual extravaganza, strong performances and fresh direction makes Annihilation the next best sci-fi film to see. Don't understimate it at the beginning, its final moments will give you chills.