'Annihilation' Review

Very little was known about Annihilation when previews started to be shown before other movies. Even going into the theater to see it, I was not fully sure what the movie was about. However, there were several things in the preview that had me curious, so I decided to give it a try.

Annihilation is an odd movie to describe. For the most part, it follows the character of Lena (Natalie Portman), a biologist and former military woman who is struggling with the disappearance of her husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac) who went missing during a classified mission for the military. In order to find her husband, Lena volunteers for an expedition into a strange energy field which is slowly spreading in a dome-like fashion. While no one has ever returned from missions into the dome, Lena is hoping to find answers to what happened to her husband. What she finds is a strange and beautiful world of biological mutations.

What I Liked:

Annihilation has a wonderful cast, and the movie is visually stunning. There is intrigue, action, and drama all mixed into this rather long film. The graphics are beautifu;, the storyline is unique and keeps you guessing all throughout the film. I don’t believe there was ever a point in the movie where I felt confident in what I thought was going on. Every time I thought I had it figured out, something else would happen to make me wonder what was going on.

I also enjoyed that the main party was a diverse cast of women, sporting different races and body types. The main expedition party consists of Lena, Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Anya (Gina Rodriquez), Cass (Tuva Novotny), and Josie (Tessa Thompson), all of which are women who hope to find answers while fighting their own internal struggles. Lena is not the only one with darkness in them.

What I Didn’t Like

Well, Annihilation will not be going on my rewatch list any time soon. The stunning graphics and original story simply could not overcome how slow the movie was. My husband even fell asleep through part of it. Not only is the movie slow, but their attempt to keep you from guessing the truth of what was happening left you extremely confused throughout the whole film. While I thought I was going to see a horror film with some sci-fi elements, it was really more of a sci-fi drama, which leaves you with a lot of questions. While I like a movie that leaves you guessing until the end, this one just left me guessing. There was not a satisfying ending to the story, and I left wondering what in the world I had just watched.

It was also really difficult to connect with the characters. Their dark stories kept them aloof and distant which transferred to the viewer. Maybe because of the slow pace of the movie, or maybe because they were trying to create a connection with a darker part inside of people. However, whatever connection they were trying to make, it did not transfer. I really didn’t feel anything for the characters.

My Overall:

Overall, I did not like this movie at all. It was slow, confusing, and detached. I would not recommend it to anyone; however, I am sure there were others that did like it. This is, after all, my opinion. I would give this a 3/10.

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