Movie Preview 031 Annihilation [2017]

Annihilation
(DNA Films & Scott Rudin Productions) [2017]
Chance of Success =  85%

Ex Machina was a successful cocktail exercise of horror and sci-fi on the concept of artificial intelligence, its awareness of its creation and its conscience on becoming more human than just a creation. In a contained location, this science fiction intellectual thriller was conceptually written and executed to perfection and the former is because of his proven writing credentials (28 Days Later and Dredd) while the latter is surprising considering it was Alex Garland's feature directorial debut.

An audience and also critical darling, it is a perfect marriage of director and material when the news came of him handling another piece of psychological thriller, in the genre of adult science fiction on a slightly bigger scale in the form of Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach book trilogy. The environmental horror aspect of the first book, Annihilation, would be represented by the evolution of Ava's (the robot/ Alicia Vikander) thought process, with the biologist's (Natalie Portman) inner thoughts and the gradual change in her perception of the whole situation in the mysterious 'Area X'.

The constant flashbacks from her perspective could be tricky to execute, but the director is certainly capable to adapt it as it is since this narrative method serves the character and the story's progress wonderfully. Without any concrete release date, the rather quiet filming production was already wrapped without any fanfare, except a few breathtaking images from the set being posted by a couple of the cast, Thompson and Rodriguez, and even the director of photography, Robert Hardy. 

As evident in Ex Machina's visually striking panoramic exterior shots of the gorgeous natural scenery surrounding the solitary mansion, the same care and handling appeared to be applied here by the man behind the camera, giving him more credence as they were taken through a smartphone. Even with that limitation, the locations look lush and evocative and it would be unbelievable to see it on the silver screen, shot and lit by professionals and helmed by an eager but certainly capable director.

A single solitary film is being used in the cinematographer's research library from the yesteryears with a similar premise and setting: Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 Stalker, and just like in that movie, Annihilation would told an enigmatic tale on "a metaphysical journey into an area where the laws of nature do not apply.”

Going the opposite of the concept of technological advancement being made in the middle of the forest, it is perfectly appropriate that this premise is hanging onto the concept of nature (on a fictionally extreme level) enveloping everything in its way including the technology and infrastructure created by man. Contrary to the artificial nature of the robot and how it behaved, the way the nature affect the surroundings physically and even psychologically is the main mystery or crux of the anthology. 

- wiki - IMDb - 

- Synopsis -

A biologist's husband disappears. She thus puts her name forward for an expedition into an environmental disaster zone, but does not quite find what she's expecting. The expedition team is made of the biologist, an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a surveyor.

Cast
Natalie Portman - the biologist
Tessa Thompson - ? (the anthropologist @ surveyor?)
Jennifer Jason Leigh - the psychologist
Gina Rodriguez - Anya Sorensen (paramedic)
Oscar Isaac - ? (the husband?)
...

(Director &Writer - Alex Garland [Ex Machina], Original Novel - Jeff VanderMeer, Cinematography - Rob Hardy [Ex Machina], Genre - Adventure, Environmental, Isolation, Psychological, Sci-Fi, Thriller)

+ Highlights: excellent debut movie with the achievement in box office being reflected critically, a capable hand to adapt the tricky premise, beautiful locations to represent 'Area X', diverse cast with established actresses at the forefront, 

- Lowlights: the diverse cast with the more ethnically diverse are only as supporting characters and would not be in the central spotlight, still no release date yet!

Source: Collider, SlashFilm, ScreenRant