Skip to main content

Annihilation (2018)

Fear what's inside. Annihilation is a film about an ex-military biologist who signs up to explore a phenomenon near a coast.

Alex Garland does some wonderful things with this film. Most of the shots are great and vibrant when inside the phenomenon. There are a few questionable shots like when the characters and moving through the forested area but at the corner of the screen so you get a wide shot of a beautiful landscape. The writing of each character while good, does have the feeling of just getting to know the character so they can get killed off. I'm so glad they gave Garland the screenplay for the Halo adaptation.

Natalie Portman plays Lena and gives a class on how to give a variety of emotions throughout the film. Anger, sadness, depression, lostness. She is a completely deep character and it'd be hard to cast someone else as this role. Without her, the film would have fallen apart. I can't go into too much detail as that would spoil the ending.

The other big character in the film is Kane, played by Oscar Isaac. This would be the second time Garland directed Isaac and his performance is better for it. Back in Ex Machina, his character was sort of one dimensional. This performance allows Isaac to show a broader range of his ability and in some cases upstages Portman which is hard to do. Some of his early scenes seem weird but they make sense by the end of the movie.

I can't understand why Garland doesn't have any upcoming directorial jobs but then again this movie might confuse the average movie-going audience.

Result: A- (I loved the ending, but the film does have some slow parts.)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Reminders of Him (2026)

Reminders of Him (2026) is directed by Vanessa Caswill and written by Colleen Hoover and Lauren Levine . The film clearly aims for an emotional romantic drama, but it struggles early on trying to manufacture relationship development and sexual tension. Much of the setup feels forced, stretching how people actually behave in relationships and leaning heavily into "fantasy" romance rather than something believable. Maika Monroe , known for It Follows and Longlegs , gives a decent performance with the material she is given. She sells the emotional weight of the character fairly well, but the script often puts her in situations that feel more engineered for melodrama than natural storytelling. Tyriq Withers , recognized from I Know What You Did Last Summer and Him , tries to bring sincerity to the role, but the lack of chemistry between the leads makes the central relationship difficult to buy. He does what he can, though the screenplay never gives the romance enough authe...

How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

How to Train Your Dragon (2025) is directed by Dean DeBlois , who also wrote and directed the original animated trilogy as well as Lilo & Stitch . His return to the property ensures a faithful live-action adaptation that honors the tone and emotional core of the original. Visually, the film captures the bond between humans and dragons, with the exception of some controversial choices in casting presentation. Mason Thames , best known for The Black Phone , gives his best performance yet as Hiccup. He brings a believable vulnerability and growth to the role, matching the spirit of the original character while adding more emotional nuance in live-action. Nico Parker plays Astrid and is strong in the role, though the decision to light and style her to resemble a white Viking, despite her mixed heritage, has sparked justified conversation. Despite that, Parker's acting is solid, and she handles the action and emotional beats well. You might remember her from Dumbo. Gerard Butle...

A Thousand and One (2023)

  A Thousand and One is about a woman who kidnaps her own son from the foster care system in New York City. Written and directed by A. V. Rockwell , the direction has come a long way since Feathers in 2018. It really makes me wonder who Rockwell's inspirations and mentors were because certain things need to be taught. As far as writing goes, it feels quite personal and a lot of the dialogue could only come from a New Yorker like Rockwell. While I'm curious what Rockwell does next I worry that if she doesn't branch out she'll put herself in an impossible situation and be known for these types of movies. Look at what James Wan did, he became known for horror then went off and did Aquaman . Teyana Taylor is gorgeous and engaging in this film. You might recognize her from Coming 2 America . She plays the main character and has to carry the film even though the second part becomes more about her son than her, the film still focuses on her. She'll be in the remake of W...