Stunning, disturbing, beautiful and brutal

Rating: 9/10 (10 July 2018)

Annihilation left a deep impact on me. First of all, visually, it is one of the most beautiful movies I've ever seen. And this is where the movie struck a chord. This beauty is combined with brutality, destruction and finally, death. One of the central themes, self-destruction was carefully explored through feelings of remorse, grief, sadness and ultimately, the fear that comes from not understanding our place in this world. This other world, or reality - The Shimmer, is tempting to the characters because it offers them a chance to discover something and maybe to give their life some meaning. Regardless of plot holes or inconsistencies, I think that the movie conveys its message very well. It explores the darkest places of our minds and it takes us on an incredible journey. Some of the scenes are a representation of true horror because they are instinctively disturbing and hard for us to process. The idea of a different world, a different life, and different evolution is a very interesting one and I think it was meant to push our boundaries when it comes to understanding life itself. The casting was also right on spot. Portman was more than able to shows us the layers of her grief, regret, and repressed anger. Jennifer Jason Leigh was excellent like she always is. Finally, Oscar Isac, even though he doesn't have a lot of screen time, manages to leave a mark with his subtle yet terrifying role.