Directed by Alex Garland

Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Oscar Isaac, Tessa Thompson

It's a real shame I couldn't see Ex Machina director Alex Garland's latest Sci-Fi mind bender in a cinema. Some of you may already know that us in Europe have just been given this on Netflix, and those elsewhere got this in theatres in February. So yeah, whilst I'm a little down about that, I don't think this effected my overall experience of the film. As long as you don't find yourself massively distracted whilst watching this on Netflix, you should get the same experience I got whilst watching it - pure amazement over another original astounding Sci-Fi flick, the best since Arrival.

Our plot follows Lena (Portman) an ex-soilder/biologist who winds up joining a group of scientists who venture into a strange alien appearing dome known as 'the shimmer.' After her husband Kane (Isaac) returns from the shimmer a different man, Lena's expedition into a world that is ours, but is not, becomes an experience that will not only bend her mind and sanity, but ours as well.

It's strange, the first act of the film is very different to the last two. This isn't a massive issue, as we are invited into this world that Garland puts together very well. Portman is an interesting actress and her role as Lena is us. She is introduced into a world which we do not understand, and as she makes her way into this strange world there is a lot to explore and find out. There is a whole lot going on in this movie, and for a Sci-Fi film I wouldn't expect anything that you've already seen before. Annihilation, plot wise and thematically, is so totally different and thought provoking. When a film like this can offer something different to the genre and film as a whole, you know you're onto something good. No spoilers of course, but you'll be astounded by what the shimmer offers the audience that any explanation at all will shatter your viewing experience.

The film looks beautiful, as with Garland's last film this one is gloriously visualised. The world is filmed and shot really nicely, with some great colour grading that really helps everything seem more real. The special effects looks really nice and pretty, along with the production design, what is captured is just great to look at. Some CGI on the animals featured is a little throwing, but then again you get why CGI was used towards the more revealing parts of the film. Still doesn't look great and maybe they could have done a better job but the rest of the visuals make up for it.

The music is fantastic. It reminded me of many different Sci-Fi scores, from Ex Machina, Arrival and Under the Skin. It's unique and really atmospheric, if you weren't transfixed with the world enough the score will really set you in. The performances are fine, some of them are a little 'meh' at the beginning but they slowly become more interesting as we learn more about the characters. I will say though that I didn't like the performance or the character of Anya (Gina Rodriguez) who threw me off and didn't feel like a realistic character at all. She was very out of place and her performance was very wooden. 

These are only subtle issues I have with the film. There are a couple of other nitpicks here and there but at the same time it doesn't take away from the eye opening ideas and intriguing themes that Annihilation gives us. If you are able to see this on the big screen, I'd relish that opportunity. It's an absolute marvel and I can't imagine what the cinema experience would offer differently to that on a TV screen. 

8/10