'Annihilation' Movie Review: A Portmanteau of Brilliant Sci-Fi and Human Conflict

For years, the cinematic sci-fi genre has been entirely made up of stories about space, aliens, and time travel. It’s the perfect formula for a “good scientific film.” This year, however, Netflix and Paramount Pictures broke ground with “Annihilation,” a female-fronted sci-fi movie that not only scares us with the possibility of destruction at the hands of an alien-like entity but also highlights a more significant social matter—depression and self-destruction. I know your eyebrows probably went up upon reading those words, but it does have a substantial kind of writing that includes subtle themes like these. The latest from “Ex Machina” writer and director Alex Garland, “Annihilation” exceeds the boundaries of sci-fi storytelling and establishes a new approach towards the popular movie genre.
Starring Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tuva Novotny, and Gina Rodriguez, “Annihilation” is based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer (first in the “Southern Reach” Trilogy), and follows the story of five scientists who enter a mysterious natural phenomenon known as “The Shimmer.” In it, they need to find out what The Shimmer wants to accomplish on earth. Recon teams were sent beforehand, but none of them returned, except for Kane (Oscar Isaac), Lena’s (Portman) husband. At first glance, “Annihilation’s” premise sounds a bit similar to the “exploration” and “alien invader” sci-fi theme, but the film successfully establishes a unique premise that mixes these elements expertly to a fresh perspective.

There are a lot of themes intertwined in the intricate fabric of “Annihilation’s” storyline. For one thing, it starts right from the very end of the movie. Lena, a biologist, is interrogated following the mission’s “presumed” success. Throughout the story, we find out that she loses comrades along the way, and we are then led to believe that something sinister is hidden away in The Shimmer, until the revelation hits us smack dab in the face. This slow reveal hangs over the entire duration of “Annihilation” and makes it seem inevitable.
One of the most significant aspects of “Annihilation” is the underlying themes of self-destruction. As the story progresses, you are led to believe that it’s all said and done for the characters. But it doesn’t stop there; the underlying themes reveal itself one by one, all until we figure out the entire depth of the mission. It’s not just about finding the cause and reason for The Shimmer; it’s also about reconciling each other’s struggles and baggage.

Spoilers follow from here on.

Thoughtful themes

I think it’s safe to say that this is not an alien invasion movie. The title suggests it, but it actually refers to something else. “Annihilation” shows us a slow build to chaos, through the eyes of our four protagonists. Enter Dr. Ventress (Leigh), the head of the operation. Her character seems to be an indifferent one, but it’s slowly revealed that she has cancer, hence Ventress’ choice to enter The Shimmer. Then we have Anya Thorensen (Rodriguez), a former paramedic, who’s main struggle since being in The Shimmer is her drug addiction. Dr. Josie Radek (Thompson), on the other hand, suffers from loneliness and is led to self-harm. As for Lena, the guilt of her affair lingers around, and it leaves a looming cloud of depression over her, especially with her husband Kane being gone and his miraculous return. It’s only anthropologist Cass Sheppard (Novotny) who seems to have come to terms with the issues in her life. Cass lost two people—her daughter to leukemia and a part of her from grieving and acceptance.

It’s important to note that “Annihilation’s” main protagonists all suffer from some kind of depression. This is what drives them to enter The Shimmer, to find out the reason behind the phenomenon and to reconcile themselves to their strifes. True, the movie’s front and center focus is the mysterious event, but the underlying themes are the driving force of the premise—which now leads us to the title. “Annihilation” doesn’t refer to the world ending, but rather the self-destruction that comes with our characters’ inner conflict.
Much like “Ex Machina,” Garland successfully establishes a sci-fi story that works well with a social issue. Self-destruction is one of the fallouts of depression, and in it, we see how each of our main characters trudge along this winding road. “Annihilation” is more than a film about a mysterious alien event. It’s more about the phenomenon within a person’s psyche.

The ending explained

One by one, the scientists are smoked out by the fully-mutated creatures in The Shimmer. Now, for us to understand “Annihilation’s” end, it’s essential for us to focus on the five’s personal dilemmas. Their issues are highlighted right before they end up killed by the monsters. Towards the end, Anya accepts her struggle and commits suicide albeit at peace with herself. Dr. Ventress, on the other hand, goes after the source of The Shimmer in the lighthouse, submits herself to the organism’s will and turns into an energy orb. This orb, in the end, imitates Lena (who seemingly wants to replace her in the real world). So it’s only down to Lena, who witnessed the death of her husband Kane before she encounters Dr. Ventress’s transformation. Kane’s death reveals that the one who came back from The Shimmer isn’t actually Lena’s husband, but instead Kane’s carbon copy from The Shimmer.

This reveal breaks Lena’s heart because she knows that she won’t be able to explain herself to him after her affair. The affair isn’t addressed in the film outright, but a few scenes of Lena with another man suggests that she is indeed screwing someone else while her husband is away on the mission in The Shimmer. Upon witnessing Ventress’s transformation, the energy orb changes into Lena’s shape, which suggests that The Shimmer wants to do the same thing it did to Kane. However, Lena tries to fight back but passes out. Now, this is where two theories could emerge—an off-screen switch could or couldn’t have happened. However, it’s revealed that it’s indeed Lena but only went through a drastic change following her experience in The Shimmer.
Lena subdues her alien copy by giving it an active photon grenade and leaving the copy to burn the entire Shimmer down. The film ends with Lena reuniting with the Kane copy, but it’s then shown that Lena has traces of The Shimmer in her eyes. One could think that it’s not Lena, but in actuality, she never really came to terms with her struggles and only accepted things the way it is. It might appear as a good ending for her character, but in truth, Lena will suffer from a bleak life, never able to accept her transgression against Kane. The Shimmer in her eyes represents her submission to the situation, but not her self-acceptance. This is Lena’s personal Annihilation.

‘Annihilation’ Overall Verdict

“Annihilation” is a pretty dark movie if you look at the story and its themes. It doesn’t achieve an end-of-the-world fear, but rather a terror that comes with struggling through a personal trial. Garland’s writing is commendable, as well as the film’s dark and grimy musical score. “Annihilation” is a rare piece of cinematic sci-fi genius, and the way it makes one think and rewatch it makes the film a success in its own right.
The movie employs thrills and scenes that require reflection and analysis. The only problem with this kind of pace and writing is that the viewer needs to be up for it. It’s not something that the casual moviegoer would enjoy (especially if you’re looking for the more common sci-fi tropes), but it would have you hooked and asking more questions as the film progresses. Sci-Fi movies commonly make the viewer think of the future and what it entails. The film, on the other hand, is also a portmanteau that makes you think about yourself—putting the relationship of science and human emotion at its very core.
“Annihilation” isn’t your conventional monster movie. Yes, there are monsters, but they don’t live in The Shimmer.
They live inside us—eating away what’s left.