Poetic Visualisation

Since the inception of cinema itself, the sci-fi genre has always provoked to make us think and deliberate on ideas and premises that subtly reflect our own cultural and social anxieties. Indeed, from Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon, that naturally eclipsed and astonished audiences in wonderment at the time of its release in 1902, to Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner which both respectively imbue themes and motifs that parallel social thinking and have each marked a new milestone in the aforesaid genre, science-fiction has consistently allowed itself to meander into ideas and story-lines that not only provide an awe of escapist reality, but establish motifs that are seemingly relatable and engaging amongst the dystopian backdrops that are displayed. This is something that Alex Garland has effortlessly done in not only his first feature as a film-maker in the form of Ex Machina, but also carries forward in his latest cinematic pic of Annihilation; a tense yet cerebral sci-fi flick that pries into human behaviour and poetically illustrates this through melancholic and illusory visuals…

Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach literary trilogy, Annihilation centres its story around Lena (Natalie Portman), an ex-army turned biology professor who is grieving her missing husband, named Kane (Oscar Isaac), who was also in the military and is presumed KIA. However, nearly a year after he miraculously disappeared, Kane returns but with no memory or explanation of his military expedition. Before long, he slips into a coma and the pair are intercepted and taken to a military compound where Lena discovers that Kane was part of a team to investigate “Area X” – an expanding region of swampland surrounded by a visible “shimmer”. Of the multiple squads that were sent in, Kane is the only person to have returned. To better understand what really happened to him, Lena, along with four woman who respectively have a distinct skill set in biology, physics, geology, psychology and paramedical, volunteer for the next expedition into the “Shimmer”…

As disheartening as it was to hear that Garland’s take on VanderMeer’s trilogy of novels in the form of Annihilation was to be exhibited onto the Netflix platform (excluding the United States), since Paramount Pictures made the predisposition that many cinema/theatre audiences would find the aforementioned premise “too complicated” to understand and therefore marketed the film on the said prestigious streaming-site, the film itself pleasantly doesn’t falter on the small-screen. Indeed, in initially stating that Annihilation would be too highbrow for common audiences is both understating viewers itself and overstating the film’s attemptive intellectual design. Audiences and critics alike shared a highly-praised common ground when it came to Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival; a film that bestowed a context that’s arguably more complex than what Garland has done here. Nevertheless, it is to Garland’s credit that he made an adaptation that not only establishes an enigmatic yet cerebral visual feast that delves deeply into human emotion, similar to Arrival, whilst obviously projecting a mysticism that inevitably makes you engaged and ponder, but presents a sci-fi feature that also upholds an overly tense horrific side that keeps you invested towards the fate of the characters shown. In similar vein to how Ex Machina proceeded with its narrative, Annihilation comparably develops its plot by introducing a premise that proposes an idea/character thematics that evoke curiosity and then, slowly, shifts its focus into horror-thriller territory once the quintuple female cast venture into Area X; an arguable allegory of a location that metaphorically outlines the alteration of the environment through human intervention in today’s society. To say it’s a direct horror film isn’t necessarily the case, yet Garland consistently cranks-up the terror and tension as the group of five make their way through the whimsical space of the “Shimmer.” From deformed and mutated beasts that reside in the shadows of the given space, to twisted human remains that subtly remind you of the archaic paintings that H.R. Giger produced for Alien, the inclusion of these horrific formalities permeate, at times, eerie and disturbing sequences that linger with you once the film concludes and feels appropriately natural rather than a necessary add-on. This is certainly the case when the female squad members are dealing with a creature that is remarkably terrifying; both in terms of how it looks and what it specifically does. If there’s one hindrance to quarrel over, in relation to the films non-chronological structuring, which works for the most part, it is a circumstance that involves the central character of Lena and another person who doesn’t really hold any significance to the story and conclusion. As much as it can be argued that the scenes with this character subtly establish Lena’s personality, it’s a sequence non-the-less that never amounts to anything and could have easily been taken-out for a more linear and progressive experience. In relation to the story itself and the themes that it projects, it’s fairly good considering the running-time that is on offer. While the pacing of the story is rather monotone and slow-paced, it built towards something that ultimately pays-off once the end came around. In having an all female cast, the film never once makes an issue of gender roles and, in fact, presents all five characters in an efficient and engrossing way whereby you learn why each one of the squad members wanted to go into this whimsical abyss besides knowing what the “Shimmer” is and where is it coming from. More or less, in taking away the sci-fi elements of the story, Annihilation sets its precedent around characters that are internally facing severe problems that they’re trying to resolve in one way or the other. Addiction, the loss of a child, self-harm, cancer. Each one of the squad members goes on this mission not only because of the mysticism that surrounds Area X and what lies within it, but they venture into this space since they know going into the unknown is better than what they currently know. This is certainly the case with Lena, portrayed by Natalie Portman, who knows that her self-destruction would take over if she didn’t venture off and inevitably decides to join the all-female squad in the hopes of finding answers about herself and for her husband. 

For all the contextual substance it upholds, non of what the characters eventfully interact within the “Shimmer” would be enticing to watch if it wasn’t for the formal aspects that Garland exquisitely utilises in Annihilation. Beyond the many themes and ideas that are introduced, as mentioned in the preceding paragraph, everything from the cinematography and how the frame delicately compliments the natural/artificial lighting with the myriad of colourful hues intrinsically ensnare your viewing gaze and certainly matches the bizarre odyssey that is displayed. Likewise to how David Fincher may visually approach a scene involving characters simply discussing with one another, Garland and cinematographer Rob Hardy conjure-up sequences that are suitably sharp and precise; illuminating the given space and the characters that reside within the frame in a vibrant yet mechanical way. However, whilst the piercing imagery complimented the strangeness of the context, there was more to the cinematography than just vivid framing. The few actions that comprise Annihilation are executed in ways that you don’t commonly see. Rather than constructing sequences such as this with extreme close-ups and frantic editing to emphasise high-tension, Garland and Hardy instead opt, at times, for swaying establishing shots to depict the severity of the particular situation that the characters are faced with. By utilising a camera style such as this, provides a different perspective to the proceedings and makes you wonder what Garland and Hardy could do if they went-on to make a war feature.

Rather eclipsing the premise in Ridley Scott”s Alien, a film which introduces us to a story that doesn’t solely present a central figure right-up until the very end, Annihilation sets its narrative, for the majority of the run-time, around an ensemble group that we get to know throughout the course of the film. While the story specifically focuses on the perspective of Lena, through the slow and necessary build-up of the film and masking her character development through flashbacks of past events that mirror her gradual depressive state, the main crux of the scenario that’s portrayed is held by the all-female cast members and there’s not one character/actress that negates the viewing experience. Take Tessa Thompson’s portrayal as the character of Josie, a physicist, who provides a rather nuanced yet heartbreaking performance of a person who doesn’t necessarily have an internal problem, unlike the others, yet is intrigued by the majesty of the “Shimmer” and what this illusory space is actually doing to environment. It’s, for sure, a world-away performance from her rather ‘bad-ass’ appearance in Thor: Ragnarok, and this is continuous trend that runs through the other performances. Jennifer Jason Leigh’s enactment as Dr. Ventress, a psychologist and leader of the expedition, is doused with curiosity, in relation to her own reason why she wants to go into this alien space, and Natalie Portman as Lena provides a performance that is believably dejected from her recent misgivings and slowly morphs into a completely different person by the time we reach the conclusion.

In viewing the filmic projects that he’s been a part, I think it’s fair to say that Alex Garland has taken some time in becoming the acclaimed director that he is today. From his time being a novelist (writing The Beach and The Coma) to screen-writing Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later and Sunshine and then finally making his feature-film in Ex Machina, Garland has indeed taken his time, and it’s certainly paid-off for him with his latest filmic venture in Annihilation. Proving his debut as a film director was no fluke, Garland has constructed a worthy follow-up that not only does what great sci-fi films do in pondering big ideas and motifs that reflect our own insecurities and what it means to be human, but its interjection of a subtly horrific-side feels natural and distinct from many of contemporary science-fiction projects. Certainly, there will be the odd occasion when you’re reminded of a film like Jonathan Glazer’s Under The Skin or John Carpenter’s The Thing, but Garland, through the translucent visuals and a story that upholds themes that make you ponder and question right the way through, has made a film in the form of Annihilation that stands on its own and confirms the aforesaid director as one of the most accomplished and intersting directors working today. Indeed, it’ll be interesting to see what he’ll go onto make in the near future…

On that note, it’s time for to end this week’s Film Review. As always everyone, thank you for reading my latest Film Review of Annihilation and I hope you’ve all enjoyed the read! 😉 If anyone has an opinion on either the film or on the review itself, you’re more than welcome to comment your thoughts down below. For later this week, being that I haven’t done a Retro Film Review in a while, I’ll be once again venturing into a film from childhood and discussing it’s positives and negatives. Thank you once again for reading this week’s Blog Post and I hope you’re all having a nice start to your week! Adieu! 😀👽👾👀

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ – Alex Rabbitte