If I could describe this movie in four words, it would be deliberate, curious, quiet, and cancerous.
Deliberate: Annihilation is slow, and the slowness builds suspense, and the suspense builds the film’s atmosphere. If you sped up the pacing, you remove a lot of what makes Annihilation great. This is the type of horror that revels in your fast heartbeat and quick breath. While it doesn’t shy away from gore, it doesn’t use it for shock value. Instead, it builds itself with pauses between dialogue and long shots that enhance the actors’ performances.
Curious: The art direction is disturbing, but it’s not spine-tingling. A lot of the visuals–different flowers growing from the same vine, for instance–are grounded in our reality with a twist that invites curiosity. As I mentioned before, nothing it does is purely for shock value like I’ve seen in other horror movies.
Quiet: Most of the film’s sound comes from the rustling of clothes, the tromping of boots, and dialogue. When there is music, it comes in two forms: an indie guitar used as a transition between scenes and extraterrestrial tones that underline moments of spiked adrenaline. An excellent sound system is required to fully appreciate the array of sounds that underline the viewing experience.
Cancerous: The film starts with a minute-long lecture about cell reproduction, the base theory for the cause of cancer, and explores this theme throughout the narrative. Cancer is mentioned multiple times throughout the film, as if daring the audience to connect it with the film’s main plot. Like cancer, The Shimmer (as its called) is an unknown: it does not obey regular laws of science and exploring it is akin to a death sentence.
Despite reveling in ambiguity, Annihilation provides a satisfying viewing experience. The reason for The Shimmer’s weirdness is answered, character goals are met, and the movie ended by raising the hairs on the back of my neck. Afterward, my movie-buddy and I discussed it until the restaurant were we ate dinner closed. At home, I slept with a light on because I didn’t want nightmares of that one bear scene.
Annihilation is what I want all my horror movies to be. Not cheap thrills by way of shock value, but thought-invoking explorations of the human condition that make your skin crawl. Recommended for fans of science fiction and horror.
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