Annihilation (2018)

Annihilation follows Lena (Natalie Portman), a cellular biologist and former soldier, who volunteers for a secret, all-female expedition into a quarantined zone called the Shimmer after her husband Kane inexplicably returns from a covert mission and then falls ill. The mission team—biologist, anthropologist, psychologist, surveyor and linguist—ventures into an ever-expanding, iridescent field where the normal laws of nature break down and life mutates in strange, often terrifying ways. Watching the film is a slow-burn mixture of science-fiction mystery and psychological horror. You’ll see jaw‑dropping, surreal visuals—kaleidoscopic light, hybridized plant and animal life, and body‑horror mutations—paired with a tense, unsettling soundscape. Scenes alternate between clinical investigation and dreamlike, nightmarish encounters that raise more questions than they answer. The movie is as much about inner collapse as outer threat: grief, identity, and self‑destruction are woven into the expedition’s unfolding horrors, and the tone stays introspective and ambiguous rather than offering tidy resolutions. Expect strong performances, especially from Portman, a haunting atmosphere, and a story that lingers—provoking unease, awe, and thought rather than straightforward scares. Content note: the film contains disturbing images and violent transformations. If you like cerebral, visually arresting sci‑fi with psychological depth and an ambiguous ending, Annihilation will be a gripping, disquieting experience.

Actors: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson

Director: Alex Garland

Runtime: 115 min

Genres: Adventure, Drama, Horror

6.0 /10 79 /100 6.8 /10 6.9 /10