Annihilation Film Review and Analysis

ANNIHILATION

Annihilation is a science fiction horror film written and directed by Alex Garland, based on the 2014 novel by Jeff Vandermeer. In addition, it is a ‘women on a mission’ film with five strong members with a different skill set such as a biologist, a physicist, a geologist, a paramedic and a psychologist. Moreover, they are sent to investigate a meteor in an area in Florida which is causing a strange phenomenon. Despite all of this, Alex Garland has directed a film in which addressed issues such as depression, grief, and the idea of self-destruction. 

Natalie Portman is Lena, a biology professor who is mourning her husband, who is a soldier who’s presumably missing. Further, after a few years after he disappeared, he abruptly returns with no memory of what may have happened to him whilst his health is quickly getting worse.

In addition to this, he, later on, slips into a coma and he and Lena are taken into a military compound located in Florida where Lena unanticipated discovers that Kane, her husband, was part of a team sent to investigate “Area X”, which is an expanding region of swampland surrounded by “The Shimmer”. The Shimmer started at the site of a meteor and has been slowly growing, engulfing a patch of land in an energy field that looks like a pulsing oil slick wiped over the air. Kane was the only one who returned despite having multiple squads being sent in to investigate “Area X”. Because of this, Lena volunteers to participate in the next mission, hoping to discover and understand what really happened to Kane.

What I immediately noticed about Annihilation is the way Lena’s team of explorers are all women. Since all-male army squads (except Kane)  have failed their mission and have disappeared, this group of women has taken over clearly emphasizing gender equality.  

Subsequently, each one gets a backstory, as well as scientist Cass (Tuva Novotny) pointing out how each of the women has some reasons for self - hatred, and guilt which in some way explains why they’d sign up for what’s likely to be a suicide mission. Consequently, their reasons for distress might play out in obviously appropriate ways, and lead to their ends. Although Garland seems to have used the women’s backstories in a more abstract manner, to portray what might push people into such dangerous territories and mindsets against the norm.

A specific part of Annihilation that captivated me the most was the film’s final scene which can be broken down into two sections in which one is above ground and the other below. After Lena goes through The Shimmer, an alien environment generated on Earth by a meteor strike, she comes across a lighthouse surrounded by human bones. Inside lies the burned up corpse of her husband Kane who journeyed into the Shimmer before her. In regards to that, it raises questions about how he may have returned back from The Shimmer when his body lies right in front of Lena’s and the audience's eyes. Subsequently, down beneath the surface is a chamber that resembles a colossal carapace. And then one of her teammates, Ventress, suddenly appears and vomits glowing energy into the air before transforming into a giant, phosphorescent object.

Eventually, the object morphs and Lena is challenged by a shiny metallic humanoid that imitates her every move. Lena attempts to fight it, but it fights back in the exact same way. When she lies down, so does it. This particular scene could be perceived as frightening but also comedic. Further, it can also be seen as sorrowful, but it all comes down to interpretation as it is highly metaphorical. 

Every member of Lena’s team entered The Shimmer holding onto some sort of trauma. For instance, Ventress was dying from cancer, and her rapid deterioration reflects that. Lena on the other hand is combatting grief from the loss of her husband Kane, as well as experiencing depression. Battling her alien-like duplicate emphasizes how her conflicts are made literal like Ventress’. The world of The Shimmer is certainly extraterrestrial, but Garland mostly wanted to showcase how the place has the power to impact trespassers such as Lena emotionally and physically.

The Shimmer weaponized her fears against her which is a great decision made by garland. Eventually, Lena finds a way around the alien as she deceives it into taking a grenade, destroying her own mimic. That immediately creates the imagery of self - destruction, particularly your past self. The end of the film suggests that she’s been changed by her experience. Finally, as the alien disintegrates, it surrounds the skeleton of Lena's husband and gently touches it, consuming him in the flames. Lena is slowly letting go of that painful loss, participating in a moment of destruction that is necessary and inspiring.