Annihilation

Annihilation

Starting with big-budget sci-fi screenplays like 28 Days Later... and Dredd, then making his directorial debut with the much smarter and classier Ex Machina, it feels like Annihilation is screenwriter/director Alex Garland finally getting to make what he's always wanted to make: smart, heady, adult sci-fi that's not exactly "marketable."

Going straight to Netflix for every country in the world except for the US, this film was somewhat doomed to fail in the box office because there's simply no way to properly advertise it. It's hard sci-fi with elements of drama and horror, it's based on a novel as opposed to a comic book or any other movie franchise, and the star is Natalie Portman, who (by no fault of her own) often ends up in terrible movies. It also doesn't treat it's audience like it's stupid, which has become a norm in mainstream films. It's emotions are genuine, it's symbolism is subtle, and there are no clear answers for any of its mysteries. It's great, but most people aren't gonna like it.

It's best that I don't describe any of the elements of the actual film because going in blind made this a very unique experience for me. The only thing I did know was that it was an all-female cast, but that's only because I looked at the poster and saw that was the case. They never pat themselves on the back or pander to the audience about how amazing they are for casting women in their film; they just did it. And not only is the central cast all women, they're all scientists. And not only are they all scientists, they're all actually interesting and distinct characters. What a concept.

I'm not gonna say anything else about the movie, but if you're into smart sci-fi that'll really make you think, you should check this one out.