movie thoughts: Annihilation (2018)

[orangerful]

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Just finished watching this, got it from the library on DVD and knew very little about the plot. My friend Andy had read the book and seen the movie and gave it his seal of approval (though he said changes were made so now I want to read the book!).

This was some really smart, story-driven science fiction with a good dash of horror mixed in. (Tim says he thought it felt more like a fantasy in some ways, I think he felt the science wasn't science-y enough?). I think the non-linear storytelling worked well and kept the tension in just the right spot as you moved through the three stories - before, during and after.

It has just enough action to keep you interested, some very disturbing moments (and not just gore, but there is a little bit).

I really appreciated the fact that the leads are all women and that's not the focal point of the film. They just all happen to be women. I wonder if the book makes anything more out of this...but the movie didn't. They were women of science, above all else.

In a way, it reminded me of Arrival with its pacing and strong female lead and science! But I think I preferred Annihilation and would be willing to watch it again where I just never clicked with Arrival, though it might be because of the over-hype it suffered around Oscar season.

I really don't want to say too much about it, and the trailers did not do it justice because there is too much to explain to make it start to make sense but explaining any of it will take away from watching the story unfold.

If you have seen it, what did you think??? I'd love to discuss!

Comments

[colls]

I haven't seen it yet, but I'm a sucker for Natalie Portman movies.

[orangerful]

It's worth it. Amazing cast that just happens to be mostly women. And Oscar Isaac.