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If you missed Alex Garland’s EX-MACHINA, you missed one of the most compelling examples of lo-fi Sci-Fi cinema in recent years, earning an Oscar for visual effects and a Best Screenplay nomination for Garland. His newest effort is ANNIHILATION, based on Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy of novels. It stars Natalie Portman in the lead, with a supporting cast that includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny and Oscar Isaac. Sporting great visuals and a very engaging scenario, this cerebral thriller may be a little too heavy for some moviegoers, but I can’t stop thinking about it.

The story of ANNIHILATION is told by shifting back and forth in time. We see flashbacks of military husband and wife Lena (Natalie Portman) and Kane (Oscar Isaac), who seem happy together, but feel a strain on their relationship when Kane is tasked with a “right now” mission he can’t talk about. A strange projectile has landed on the earth, and created a shielded perimeter that’s outer edge looks like a living oil slick… this is dubbed “The Shimmer” by those investigating it. People can enter The Shimmer, but none seem to ever come out and are not able to communicate with the outside. Kane’s team goes in, and after several months with no word, Lena begins to accept her husband is gone. Then, with no warning, Kane shows up at their home and walks in. Lena’s relief turns to fear quickly when she realizes there’s something wrong with the man she loves, as he seems quiet and disconnected, and starts coughing up blood. While being rushed to the hospital, they are stopped by black vehicles and armed personnel, and taken to the base where Kane originally carried out his mission from. There Lena is greeted by Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a psychologist who explains how she’s been sending teams to an unknown fate trying to explore The Shimmer. Kane was the first to come back, but obviously isn’t in good shape, so she asks Lena if she would be willing to do whatever she could to help her ailing husband. A biologist herself, Lena is the perfect candidate for the latest team, which includes three other women – Anya (Gina Rodriguez), Cass (Tuva Novotny) and Josie (Tessa Thompson). Keeping her reasons for involvement secret from these women, Lena joins the trio, as does Dr. Ventress, and they head into The Shimmer. As we follow their adventure, we discover things inside the perimeter are strange and mysterious, where every revelation brings up new questions, and the fear that they too may not make it out alive.

We’ve seen movies like this before, such as John Carpenter’s THE THING or even Ridley Scott’s ALIEN, and there’s certainly inspiration from both of those movies on display here. But ANNIHILATION still managed to show us enough new and unexpected material that it feels fresh and unique. I’ve always said anytime a Sci-Fi film can surprise me and keep me guessing, that’s definitely a good thing. There’s enough twists and turns here to have many viewers on the edge of their seat, and some imagery that I know will stick with me for quite a while. You could almost call this a horror movie, even though its soul is very much Science Fiction, but viewers should know there’s some rather disturbing images peppered throughout. Writer/director Alex Garland knows how to weave interesting tales with engaging characters, and this latest effort is no exception. He had the daunting task of adapting Jeff VanderMeer’s books, expanding certain aspects of the first novel while borrowing story elements from the others. He also omitted certain story aspects from the first novel that played a big part, such as the use of hypnosis to control the team. The end result feels very self-contained while still potentially being the start of a much bigger story.

Natalie Portman seems a little miscast as Lena, primarily due to her diminutive frame and (still) youthful appearance. She’s playing a former military woman, and in certain scenes where she’s firing a machine gun, it almost looks like it should knock her over. That’s not to say her performance isn’t strong and competent, as Portman has proven herself to be a chameleon-like actress in past roles. Jennifer Jason Leigh seems perfectly placed as the cold and slightly unhinged Dr. Ventress, who is looking for answers while simultaneously fighting her own demons and failures. Gina Rodriguez, Tuva Novotny and Tessa Thompson do well as the investigating team, though it seems like only Rodriguez really gets a chance to deliver a bold turn. I wanted and somewhat expected more from Thompson’s character, who never seems to have enough to do – funny, since she’s more than proven herself to be strong in recent roles like CREED and THOR: RAGNAROK. Oscar Isaac is always a welcome face on the big screen, but his role here is mostly quiet and mysterious, so fans of his might not be satisfied with what little is there. Benedict Wong also has a small but important role as one of the investigators who questions Lena, and David Gyasi has a brief role as well playing a co-worker that is more than just friends with Lena.

If this film has any major fault, it’s that the end result is rather bleak and at times just sad. There are few if any happy moments, or even moments of character satisfaction, as the events taking place don’t really allow for it. Even the musical score by Geoff Barrow and Ben Salisbury is haunting and at times unnerving, though quite effective. Alex Garland isn’t someone who typically delivers upbeat stories, and definitely not the type of storyteller who crafts movies for those looking for happy Hollywood endings. His films usually have endings that mirror some of the darker tones of shows like THE OUTER LIMITS and perhaps even TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE. It’s for these reasons I usually like what he produces, but it’s also for these reasons that his movies sometimes leave the average moviegoer wanting something different. A few years ago we saw a similar film in THE ARRIVAL with Amy Adams, but that movie at least tried to end with a message of hope. This is very much not that type of flick, but what is on display in ANNIHILATION is quite fascinating and impacting. Since I saw it earlier this week, I’ve had friends asking me if I liked it, and I wasn’t sure what to say as I’m still trying to process it. However, I do think as a Sci-Fi movie, it’s quite strong and worth a look if for no other reason than it managed to frequently show me things I didn’t see coming. Running just under two hours in length, this is one film I wouldn’t have minded being longer, and I can’t help but wonder if somewhere there exists a longer cut.

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