Into something different...

Rating: 10/10 (23 February 2018)

Annihilation (2018).

Chipper F. Xavier, Esq.

Alien invasion movies usually have one thing in common: The invading species wants our planet whether we're on it or not. One unique aspect of Annihilation is the fact that our protagonists are never really sure why the invaders came, after all.
Lena's (Natalie Portman) husband, a military operative, has been missing for twelve months, and she is understandably distraught. She delves into her work as a university biology professor and shuts the world out.
When Kane (Oscar Isaac) returns, Lena is at first relieved to be reunited with him. Unfortunately, Kane appears to suffer from PTSD: He remembers so little of events that led up to his departure and return that Lena is forced to join forces with the government to set things right.
Annihilation begins by grounding us in the relationship between husband and wife, and then takes us on a frightening journey of self discovery, renewed purpose and utter madness. The film delivers sublime, alien-triggered variations of plant and animal DNA that are stunning and imaginative. What is the purpose of the alien species here? Are the aliens benign, or will their DNA "refraction" destroy earth's biosphere?
Natalie Portman dives headfirst into the character of Lena, providing clear focus and a strong sense of purpose as the film's protagonist. The story unfolds through her experiences, and she carries the role with frightening intensity.
Arguably, director Alex Garland's greatest achievement with Annihilation lies in its ambiguity: Who are we as a species, and how do we differ from other cellular beings? There are no easy answers, but the journey makes this question moot. For in making something different, the director succeeds in highlighting our cellular similarities.