Review of Annihilation (2018) by Mathew C — 24 Jun 2018

Annihilation started off strong with a great cast of characters. There was a great appreciation for the orginality of the film given its some what bold new take on the sci-fi scene. However once you get past the intail start up, the film grows into something thats not as special as it perceives itself to be.

Much of the films best moments are likely due to the fact that there was such a great actor to drive most of the scenes home. Natalie Portman put in a great performance and really draws you into the character and strange new reality she volunteers to set foot in. Personally my favorite scene was when (spoilers) The few remaining group members got tied to the chairs by a fellow member only to get mauled by a nightmare fueled bear. Though this brings me to my biggest fault in the movie which is the over abundance of cgi usage. There were times that it just wasnt good enough and sucked me out of the scene. Practical effects could have easily been used in this film when compared with many other sci-fi films.

The cinematography and direction was good and there are no complaints to be had. The score was fine but very forgettable and the actors good for the most part; if not a little overplayed. However you cannot have a good movie without a good script and being deep and thought provoking when there isnt that much to be provoked on is inevitably boring.

In conclusion the film was decent enough to fill in an evening but nothing to write home about. I recommend seeing Annihilation because it's different but prepare to be somewhat disappointed. Hopefully you see the same faults as I did.

I'll give this film a 2 out of 5.