Thought-Provoking and Demanding a Re-Watch

Rating: 8/10 (26 February 2018)

After Alex Garland's first film, Ex Machina showed me that true science fiction in cinema is not dead, I was looking forward to yet another sci-fi film by him. Whether you like both of his films or not, you can't say that they are worthless and poorly-crafted. Whether or not you liked this film, you should be able to appreciate this on a technical/visual level. If Ex Machina proved anything, Annihilation further reinforces the idea that cinema is true art if it makes viewers contemplate it or look for meaning in it themselves.
There are enough plot summaries here, so I will not be adding to that list. Instead, I will tell you that the story is excellently-paced and moves quickly after being gripped instantly by one of the opening shots. The set-up to the film perfectly balances the mystery surrounding this bubble-like layer called "The Shimmer" (*cue overwhelming, disorienting synth sound*) and the confusion of what happened to lead to a specific scene. We are told just enough to not lose interest in what's happening, but not enough to be able to predict what will happen next. This allows Garland to brilliantly keep viewers on the edge of their seats during scenes that would have been too comfortable and enjoyable had the suspense and intrigue not been built up so effectively.
The only flaws that I have with this film are with the characters and their development. During the first half, the characters develop at a great pace and I felt that I would truly get to know each main character emotionally and psychologically by the end of the film. However, after three important characters are given good backstories and emotional attachment is built to them, no more characters are elaborated on for the rest of the film, which caused me to not become as invested as I could have been in the rest of the characters' fates. Alex Garland is very skilled at developing the characters that he does. Part of the reason that Ex Machina worked so well was that there were so few characters, so you really got into all of their psyches and personalities by the end. Annihilation develops certain major characters flawlessly, but forgets other major characters that could have helped the story feel more emotional.
The visuals in this film are absolutely incredible and stand out almost as much as the thought-provoking ending. If you weren't engaged in the story, the visuals will keep your eyes glued to the screen. The cinematography and lighting of scenes that take place in The Shimmer are well-composed and beautiful. The effects are made to look more unbelievable and crazy as opposed to Ex Machina, where the visual effects make a real person look like an unrealistic, real person. Even though February is barely over, I would strongly consider this a contender for the Best Visual Effects award at the 2019 Oscars.
This film will keep me thinking about it and pondering its meaning until another film with an intellectual meaning as strong as this one replaces it, which isn't very common. Would you rather forget an enjoyable, simple movie or remember a challenging, memorable film? If you answer to the latter, this film is certainly for you.
8.5/10