Movie Review: Annihilation

Following in the tradition of female-led Science fiction films, such as Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley in the "Alien" movies, who has easily become one of the most recognized characters in pop-culture; and recently Golden Globe winner Amy Adams as Louise Banks in the critically acclaimed film "Arrival", Natalie Portman is stepping up on the plate as Lena, a cellular biology professor and former US army soldier in Alex Garland's science fiction horror film "Annihilation". 

Easily enough, "Annihilation" starts of as a typical Science-fiction film, debriefing in a quarantined room, flashback to a lesson in biology, but then it immediately shifts gears into a horror-thriller, whose images and thoughts will linger in your subconscious long after you've seen the film. 

Natalie Portman is Lena, a combination of Ellen Ripley and Louise Banks, she has both the brains and the brawn (she knows how to shoot) to beat whatever alien threat is slowly creeping its way into humanity. It must be said though that this is not your typical heroine as she seems to be an empty shell of her former self, as she struggles in dealing with the loss of her husband Kane (Oscar Isaac) who is assumed KIA (Killed in Action) in a mission, over a year ago and as she wallows in her sorrow and despair, Kane mysteriously comes home; although there is something very different about him. 

Kane collapses and seems to be deteriorating rapidly, on the way to the hospital, they are intercepted by a government security force and are taken to "Area X", where what seems to be a shimmering electromagnetic field known as "the shimmer" has been steadily growing over the past three years. Failed military missions, including Kane's unit have not been able to collect any information from the shimmer, nor have they had any survivors before, except for Kane, who is now in a coma.  

Psychologist, Dr. Ventress (Jessica Jason Leigh) recruits Lena to be the 5th member of a  female group of scientists which includes: physicist Josie Radeck (Tessa Thompson), anthropologist, Cass Sheppard (Tuva Novonty), and paramedic Anya Thorensen (Gina Rodriguez). Rodriguez and Thompson deserve a shout out for their performance, you are used to seeing them in light and cheerful roles and their roles in their films are anything but. 

As the women step into the shimmer, they lose concept of time and feel their minds and bodies slowly changing with their environment. Will they be able to survive the horrors that wait for them in the shimmer? 

"An ambitious, poetic Sci-Fi thriller that will flex your intellect-'Annihilation' is that rare film with both beautiful and terrifying visuals that will give you nightmares. It stays with you long after the end credits roll, easily one of the best cerebral sci-fi films to date."

Now streaming on Netflix.