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Annihilation
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Annihilation

Annihilation

2018
Drama, Sci-fi
1h 55m
A biologist signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition where the laws of nature don't apply. (imdb)

Directed by:

Alex Garland

Screenwriter:

Alex Garland, Jeff VanderMeer

Starring:

Jennifer Jason Leigh, Natalie Portman, Benedict Wong, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Oscar Isaac, David Gyasi, Gina Rodriguez, Cosmo Jarvis, Sonoya Mizuno

Genres:

Drama, Sci-fi, Adventure, Horror

Countries:

UK, USA

Language:

English
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Annihilation

2018
Drama, Sci-fi
1h 55m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 53.37% from 4040 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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paxtonPaxton
Rated 19 Mar 2018
92
92nd
They make a trek into the forest just like Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, then enter a lighthouse, much like The Good Son and deal with creatures straight out of The Adventures of Pluto Nash. Wait, are these not the references we're all making? Who the hell is Tarkovsky?
Rated 19 Mar 2018
deaddillydeaddilly
Rated 01 Mar 2018
45
10th
Garland builds a world with an infinite scope but doesn't trust his audience enough to let it flourish. Annihilation is a film that can't decide on being ambiguous or grandiose, constantly abandoning ideas while over-cooking others, the final product feels bitter and hollow. Even the visuals, while interesting, were tinged with some B-movie lens-flare, the whole thing just didn't feel natural.
Rated 01 Mar 2018
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 03 Apr 2018
64
21st
Tries so hard to be the most oblique, enigmatic movie that it begins to feel like it's pulling random images directly from the filmmaker's dreams and pasting them into a collage of pontificating bullshit. I hate to break it to you, Garland, but your metaphors for cancer are about as thin as the poorly planned expeditions to The Shimmer and the comparisons to "Stalker" make me want to cry. In spite of the idiotic Rorschach test of a plot, this movie is tremendously fascinating in its visuals.
Rated 03 Apr 2018
bowfingerbowfinger
Rated 25 Feb 2018
25
19th
Annihilation is merely a "Shimmer," a prism that presents only "refracted" and "mutated" images and ideas from sci-fi classics.
Rated 25 Feb 2018
anomalyAnomaly
Rated 09 Mar 2018
78
69th
Bizarre and beautiful film that maybe stumbles a bit when it comes to the cerebral, but more than makes up for that with an intense tonality. Everything set inside the Shimmer is completely engrossing and one of the most anxiety-inducing experiences I've had with a film. There's an intense wrongness that permeates those scenes, and the body horror is ludicrously effective. Just needs a bit better of a foundation.
Rated 09 Mar 2018
barthalenBarthalen
Rated 28 Sep 2018
80
81st
I'm probably too forgiving since I've been jonesing for a mysterious sci-fi title like this slicker, more action-y Stalker Lite. I enjoyed the balance between uncertainty, danger and awe, with a nice scoop of bio-horror to top it off. Seeing a kaleidoscope-tunnel give birth to a creature that merges with fire was one of my wishlist items for the 21st century, so I'm glad to finally check that box.
Rated 28 Sep 2018
djrossdjross
Rated 21 Mar 2018
35
19th
There's such a thing as "new clichés": the mourning woman who insists on remaining stoically professional; the revelation of emotionally significant moments via a series of staggered flashbacks, etc. For a film about life, the characters are all lifeless and the ideas even more so, despite "borrowing" heavily from numerous (better) precursors. Every pompous moment gives the impression of being concocted mechanically, that is, superficially, for no actual good reason. Richard Brody got it right.
Rated 21 Mar 2018
terrymacterrymac
Rated 13 Mar 2018
80
84th
Elements of this reminded me of a number of films (Alien films, Jurassic Park, Evolution(!), 2001, Arrival and Garland's own Ex Machina) yet it still felt fresh. It unfolds quite slowly, which definitely contributes to the mood and building tension. There are lots of different elements covering a number of themes, held together with an impressive visual style and punctuated with a few enjoyably nasty moments. I really liked the quietly effective cast. Impressive, immersive, thoughtful sci-fi.
Rated 13 Mar 2018
kojilessKojiless
Rated 08 May 2018
78
82nd
Having read several of Jeff VanderMeer's novels, I can tell you the guy has a serious obsession with mushrooms and the myriad themes they represent: the rise of life from death. The process of assimilation and metamorphosis. The decaying of outdated social norms and how true change must needs be fed and fueled by the detritus left behind. That and penises. Because mushrooms look like penises.
Rated 08 May 2018
gideonGideon
Rated 19 Mar 2018
1
16th
It's sad drivel like this flick has a place in this world, a world filled with ongoing cinematic mediocrity. Annihilation is a highly unfocussed film with an identity crisis within a vacuous universe of nothingness. Not my cup of tea, as you might 've guessed.
Rated 19 Mar 2018
guy-piranhaguy piranha
Rated 12 Mar 2018
70
69th
An interesting concept bogged down by its meta-level of partnership as symbiosis. I get the shared themes and all, but ultimately the flashbacks added no value or insight other than "the people we meet can become and remain a part of who we are". A real balls to the wall scifi-story, focused on greatly twisted environments and horribly deformed monstrosities, would've been so much better.
Rated 12 Mar 2018
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 06 Mar 2018
70
53rd
Thank God the character with glasses was their to explain scenes to me. Kind of wished she explained to me before I paid for this that it was going to be on Netflix later this month.
Rated 06 Mar 2018
foxyrussianFoxyRussian
Rated 25 Feb 2018
69
23rd
This film creates an interesting world and tries to tell a great suspenseful story, sadly none of the characters have even 1-dimension of personality. Charcters are instantly forgettable and I honestly didn't care wether any of them lived or died. Jennifer Jason Leigh phones in harder than any other performance I've ever seen. Last 15 minutes are a visual trip but do not make this movie worth it.
Rated 25 Feb 2018
leonardisLeonardis
Rated 07 Apr 2021
94
78th
This is one of those cases where is as a different movie than everybody else because I ended up loving it. I actually found it to be equally creepy and thought-provoking. I stayed up an extra hour in bed just thinking about it. There isn't a ton of character development, but I'm not sure it would have added much. Visually pleasing, well acted, and I loved it's exploration of "self destruction" and letting go of things. Im not sure why so many are really all that displeased with it.
Rated 07 Apr 2021
judge_holdenJudge Holden
Rated 18 Mar 2018
5
69th
Your enjoyment of this will depend partly on how much you liked Arrival and other films that mine Kubrick's body of work for inspiration. The concept here is fantastic but the script lets it down. Needless expositions flood in from every side while character dialogue is, at times, laughably contrived. It's certainly worthwhile, beautifully shot, and leagues better than similar films, but they could have made this a classic. A great, nightmarish premise that's lacking in terms of its execution.
Rated 18 Mar 2018
markjpMArkjp
Rated 13 Mar 2018
80
70th
If you can't be arsed to watch "Stalker"...or the Ghostbusters remake, I guess...
Rated 13 Mar 2018
bakcheiabakcheia
Rated 02 Apr 2018
31
29th
A hopelessly vacant entry into the growing crowd of sci-fi films, one which traffics in the notion of narrative inscrutability as "depth." Garland's previous entry, Ex Machina, suffered due to a similar stance, though it was fortunate enough to have a smaller cast of protagonists with memorable performances to balance out its faults. Conversely, this film offers us a hollow framework of glowering, one-note characters and nebulously written pseudo-biology with little reward paid to the viewer.
Rated 02 Apr 2018
kasperlKasperL
Rated 27 Mar 2018
30
10th
I'm psyched that a lot of science fiction is being made at the moment. But we're still waiting for the good stuff, am I right? And of course, when a promising sci-fi flick that is awarded a whopping 79 on MetaCritic finally comes along ... well, it sucks. What a bummer.
Rated 27 Mar 2018
frederikaFrederikA
Rated 20 Mar 2018
55
41st
Poorly directed, worse edited, and generally derivative (no pun intended) but still not without its merits, especially the imaginative and colorful "dead zone", one talkative giant rodent and the third act confrontation. Still: I'd rather rewatch Sphere if it's all the same to you.
Rated 20 Mar 2018
edkrakedkrak
Rated 12 Mar 2018
75
74th
Overwhelming and underwhelming at the same time. It has moments of utter brilliance, but it's too focused on plot and trying to have some coherence. If they just decided to say "fuck it" and go for complete surreal madness we would have a masterpiece. Still if you'd wanted to see just one film from 2018, this is the one.
Rated 12 Mar 2018
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 07 Mar 2018
4
70th
It's only by accepting the necessity of change - on a fundamental, biological level - that Nina is able to persevere. It just so happens that change is often terrifying. It's a nice mashup of Tarkovsky's humanist sci-fi with body horror (and, weirdly, The Last of Us). More movies should treat the natural world around us as a setting worthy of both fear and awe.
Rated 07 Mar 2018
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 19 Oct 2018
5
2nd
Thoroughly awful from start to finish. Yes it did somewhat remind me of Arrival, which was also extremely shitty in every respect, but if you were able to find signs of intelligence in that one, you'll love this.
Rated 19 Oct 2018
hellboy76hellboy76
Rated 31 May 2018
71
84th
I think its themes of self destruction and life in general are just shy of being realized, but I really liked the atmosphere and wonder of the shimmer. The characters were a bit thin, but I am not sure knowing that much about them would have changed anything. Some genuinely creepy moments.
Rated 31 May 2018
igormacheteigormachete
Rated 24 Mar 2018
54
13th
As if someone had a couple of cool ideas in their head and then came up with just enough scenes to wrap a movie around it. The result is an endless "look at this cool and original scene ok next" merely glued together with nonsensical drama and generic, soulless and boring filler.
Rated 24 Mar 2018
armilioArmilio
Rated 18 Mar 2018
68
52nd
The general plot and the visuals are mindblowing and interesting, but somehow it doesn't deliver as much as it should be. Can be a bad supporting cast, or the director having difficulties keeping up the suspense and the pace. But mostly is the lack of a script focus: it's about a creative destruction of an alien, but also about human self-destruction; it's "Alien", but not enough suspense; "Stalker", but too short and action-filled and character-driven to be Tarkovskij. I need a rewatch.
Rated 18 Mar 2018
okkervilOkkervil
Rated 13 Mar 2018
81
86th
There are a couple of moments where the screenplay feels a touch clunky, and I wanted it to be longer, more mindfucky and more wilfully esoteric. Even so it’s a superbly disorientating and compelling experience. Garland wears his influences on his sleeve, but it's not to the films detriment, far from it in fact. The whole lighthouse sequence was a highlight for me and fitting conclusion to a fantastic piece of sci-fi.
Rated 13 Mar 2018
bofbof
Rated 13 Mar 2018
75
71st
It pisses me off that I don't get to see this on the big screen, because the odd video-gamish CGI freakout aside, the Area looks gorgeous. It's not a faithful adaptation, but one that works, mixing surreal and visceral horror effectively if not quite to the quota I'd've liked. If they'd gone for even more of a "A Field in England" feel, this could have been truly great; as it is, it feels just a tad to... sensical. Imagine if Garland had been allowed to leave the wrapping paper and bow off.
Rated 13 Mar 2018
lawlaw
Rated 13 Mar 2018
65
72nd
There are two scenes, one with a mutant bear and another with an alien humanoid, that are really striking, and a few juicy character moments throughout the movie. It's too interesting and different to rate lower but I also really can't recommend sitting through this movie because it's so disjointed and incoherent and unsatisfying. Very much an instance of style over substance; or, more accurately, it's style AS subtance, and that's just not something I really appreciate.
Rated 13 Mar 2018
heapshakeheapshake
Rated 24 Feb 2018
45
30th
There are some great visuals here, but there needs to be at least some story.
Rated 24 Feb 2018
thedenizenTheDenizen
Rated 20 Jan 2019
75
75th
A heady, dreamlike sci-fi flick that serves up tension, wonder, and terror in equal doses, Annihilation asks way more questions than it answers. While this is normally a good thing for sci-fi, the explanations it does give are silly. Josie's prism/refraction analogy is great except for the fact that DNA ISN'T A WAVE. Also, Natalie Portman looks old and ill. Despite that, it's still a visually inspired exploration of the themes of self destruction, rebirth, and fear of the unknown.
Rated 20 Jan 2019
troothTrooth
Rated 04 Jul 2018
87
95th
It's like Stalker but shorter and with monsters. I only wish this movie was 3+ hours long. Some unexpectedly unsettling creature effects on a level I haven't seen in a long time.
Rated 04 Jul 2018
corbadCorbad
Rated 19 Mar 2018
70
53rd
There's a lot going on inside this film. The visuals , the performances, and the developing experience within the Shimmer-ed everglades worked - the story and presentation was tense, beautiful, and awful in turn - but the flash-forwards were utterly useless except to water down the actual substance of the film and the climax was questionable in vision and purpose. In the end the film just felt a little empty despite its diverse content, though it was undeniably bold and provocative.
Rated 19 Mar 2018
ieuandpIeuanDP
Rated 16 Mar 2018
75
67th
Similar premise/imagery to Stalker, but with all the pressures and pitfalls that usually accompany a big budget. It's really thematically rich and beautifully abstract at times, but every piece of imagery is made overtly explicable, which kind of undermines what made Tarkovsky's film so absorbing and meditative. It strains for intelligibility at times, but isn't completely shackled by this in the end.
Rated 16 Mar 2018
sirstuckeySirStuckey
Rated 03 Mar 2018
85
87th
Features some incredible world building that is buoyed by some imaginative ecology and a story that is paced pretty well. Really the only problem with the movie is that the characters are mostly one-dimensional and when they go into their backstories it often feels lacking. It wouldn't have hurt to add meatier character moments instead of the somewhat repetitive bits. This isn't a huge complaint as it didn't bother me as I watched, but as I was driving home and thinking about the film.
Rated 03 Mar 2018
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 26 Feb 2018
83
82nd
With a bit of Tarkovsky's Stalker and a 2001 finale, Annihilation is a treat for the senses. Very little of the film is straight forward and it is possible that it doesn't amount to much in the end, but the fact that I had to count the number of things I've never seen in a film before impresses me. Chief among these is a creature design that is absolutely terrifying and terrific. That screaming skeleton bear will haunt my dreams.
Rated 26 Feb 2018
nothingsgoodNothingsGood
Rated 23 Feb 2018
30
21st
Was there something to get here? Completely falls apart once they reach the house, and nothing actually happens before that. Visually super cool, though.
Rated 23 Feb 2018
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 27 Jun 2019
5
20th
While Ex-Machina was made for peanuts, it felt grand and focused in both themes and scope. Annihilation, on the other hand, looks and feels frustratingly shoddy, unable to capitalise on both its lofty ambitions and intriguing premise. In that regard, I'm not surprised this was bought by Netflix because it fits right into their library of bland, cheap-looking mediocrity. Would've been a great indie game, though.
Rated 27 Jun 2019
davidblastDavidBlast
Rated 15 Sep 2018
60
53rd
'Annihilism': A great creative strength; a great narrative weakness.
Rated 15 Sep 2018
pratchett3Pratchett3
Rated 04 May 2018
6
31st
cool biological designs attempt to dress up a shallow and amateurish script that lacks any real deep character drama. like if an SCP Foundation author decided to rip off HP Lovecraft's "The Colour Out of Space" but With Guns. what was even the theme? programmed cell death? entropy/mutation? mimicry/cloning/division? it's like the writer couldn't make up their mind and left semi-finished scraps of everything in. aliens who survived riding a comet ultimately destroyed by a bic lighter.
Rated 04 May 2018
antidood1antidood1
Rated 30 Apr 2018
50
17th
I hereby preliminarily nominate "it was a trick of the light!" as the dumbest movie line of 2018. Cast your votes now.
Rated 30 Apr 2018
muh4haMuH4hA
Rated 27 Apr 2018
0
2nd
Do not waste your time. It's not only unoriginal and utterly nonsensical, it's jaw-droppingly bad. Truly appalling.
Rated 27 Apr 2018
overratedoverrated
Rated 05 Apr 2018
82
92nd
Lose the interrogation framing device and triple the length of time devoted to the near dialogue-free section once she reaches the coast. Also this is like the one film where my golden concept of romanesco broccoli monsters would've worked.
Rated 05 Apr 2018
cowmanCowman
Rated 29 Mar 2018
75
75th
Should be more mysterious, without standard cardboard characters, annoying group dynamics and explanatory dialogue about prisms and cells and stuff. Just say 'mutating alien fungus' or whatever and be done with it. There is too much (rehashed) 'plot' going on, which creates some annoying holes.
Rated 29 Mar 2018
ofterdingenOfterdingen
Rated 23 Mar 2018
26
6th
What a load of crap.
Rated 23 Mar 2018
ecitizeneCitizen
Rated 20 Mar 2018
75
78th
Natalie Portman was marvelous as usual. A mix of really interesting and truly weird. Many jarring flashbacks. It has enough strange and wonderful things to keep your interest peaked up to the rather unsatisfying ending. It has a lot of excellent visuals, music and special effects. Also, plenty of intrigue, tension and excitement. I really wanted to like it more, but was disappointed by the rather stupid conclusion and unsatisfying final visuals, and many missed opportunities to be great.
Rated 20 Mar 2018
matija_dMatija D
Rated 19 Mar 2018
65
41st
Feels like this movie wants too much. Enters into many open questions, does not give many valid answers. Yeah, I understand that It has deeper meaning and everything.. but simply, not executed very well at all. Bear was cool though. Oh and yeah, NATALIE :D
Rated 19 Mar 2018
ottott
Rated 18 Mar 2018
45
24th
Starts of suprisingly intresting, and ends up with pseudo-science-bullshit (science fiction can be made without something as irritating as dna-reflecting-mutation-bubbles)
Rated 18 Mar 2018
td888td888
Rated 16 Mar 2018
20
9th
A horrible psi miss. Bad LSD trip.
Rated 16 Mar 2018
jlewisjlewis
Rated 15 Mar 2018
88
69th
Tried hard to be several things and never quite excelled at any of them. Partly a commentary on human nature. Partly a beautiful imaginative journey through an alternative nature. Partly humanaity vs 'the other' battle with the twist ending. Ended up a bit of a mish mash.
Rated 15 Mar 2018
dunetailsdunetails
Rated 13 Mar 2018
100
98th
Do you enjoy slow burn sci-fi like 2001, Blade Runner or more recently BR2049 AND Arrival?This is a movie for you (and me). On top of that it's great horror,The Shimmer is truly alien and unpleasant. I think it's in my top tier favourite horror movies along with The Thing,I'm struggling to think of a negative criticism It's also really nice to see such a great all female lead cast for once,something genuinely different. It gets weird pretty quickly and the body horror is Grade A Cronenberg d
Rated 13 Mar 2018
bownBown
Rated 12 Mar 2018
89
91st
There are definitely minor niggles - the clearly-studio-mandated framing device, the clumsy exposition, the slightly-overlong "dance" - but in the end they pale in comparison to the astonishing visuals, the intense and horrifying set-pieces, the incredible performances, and the absolutely perfect way the otherworldly elements speak to the themes around cancer, mental illness, and massive personal change. One of the best sci-fi movies ever made, and a lot of people are going to hate it.
Rated 12 Mar 2018
nilkynarfynilkynarfy
Rated 10 Mar 2018
80
78th
It drags cosmic horror back to its proto sci-fi roots, and is generally well-done. The character conflicts seemed forced, and every attempt to ground the movie just seemed unnecessary. There was also a dash of really bad science: species CAN interbreed, what do you think mules are? So, things I hate, I really hated, but I still think it's a shit ton better than the genre offerings of 2018 so far. The final third is also creepy as shit.
Rated 10 Mar 2018
tjlmovfrks23TjlMovFrks23
Rated 08 Mar 2018
100
96th
"Annihilation" is a dark, sublime, wonderfully twisted tale of loss and regret that we may able to relate to at some point in our life. Other reviewers say that "self-destruct" inhibited in us is the core concept of this intricate, high-concept visual narrative. If that is the case then, Alex Garland's latest mind-bending sci-fi tale is a beautiful tragedy that will leave you feel puzzled and sublime at the same time.
Rated 08 Mar 2018
ericamblerericambler
Rated 03 Mar 2018
70
46th
ANNIHILATION's mesmerizing combination of beauty and brutality smooths over many of its flaws. It paints over the bizarre and unnatural with a clinical professionalism, occasionally taking breaks for invigorating bursts of suspenseful violence. Give it credit for being fully committed to inscrutability, then take some away for suffocating nearly all emotion with a flat affect, until finally relenting in the film's pretentiously weird and undeniably groovy final 20 minutes.
Rated 03 Mar 2018
ribcageribcage
Rated 28 Feb 2018
70
58th
somewhere between adoring the leap into a dream world this movie is, admiring Garland's visual craftsmanship and begrudgingly noting that the cast seems to have been told to be deliberately flat, and until an absolutely mindbending climax, there's not much happening. I did take ten minutes to return to reality as I left the theater, turning the wrong way out of the parking lot after that ending left me in shock. And it's themes of self destruction, ego, and change are delicately handled.
Rated 28 Feb 2018
jacobclark12jacobclark12
Rated 27 Feb 2018
95
93rd
Annihilation is one of the few films that has left me speechless. Its musings on human nature and our ability to self-destruct for the sake of our desires are powerful, yet subtle enough to not feel forced. Alex Garland's direction is spectacular with its ability to make the grotesque look so beautiful, the suspense is tense and perfectly placed, and every performance is top-notch. In other words, a flawlessly made film.
Rated 27 Feb 2018
janusjanus
Rated 24 Feb 2018
65
41st
The imponderable qualities of the Shimmer that form the existential theme get mostly collapsed into neat-and-tidy gimmicks. Critics are raving that it "doesn't spoonfeed or handhold the audience" and "leaves many questions unanswered", both wildly untrue assertions. Clear highlight is the riveting, phantasmagorical finale a la 2001, where it departs from Vandermeer's novel completely.
Rated 24 Feb 2018
begoniabolbegoniabol
Rated 20 Oct 2020
78
75th
I didn't expect much of this movie and certainly didn't expect it to be so very unsettling and creepy. Especially the final part really got to me and felt very creeped out. Not a bad movie!
Rated 20 Oct 2020
cmonsterCMonster
Rated 24 Apr 2020
89
90th
I was thinking if this was directed by Nolan, all the scientifically rich themes would've been stupidly concluded by Natalie Portman going back in time through the power of love to give all the answers to her husband. Thanks god instead the white lighthouse penis had to be sacrificed for a taste of 'chocolate'... if you know what I mean. *wink wink* Then you just start over. The second movie in 24 hours with a lighthouse penis I've seen and I had no idea going into this one. #LighthousePenis
Rated 24 Apr 2020
misterlizardmisterlizard
Rated 17 Feb 2019
90
96th
A shamefully overlooked sci-fi/horror. An intelligent sci-fi movie with a well-developed all-female cast should have been a break-out hit in the supposedly progressive world we live in, but this didn't even make it to cinemas here in the UK. It's a little heavy-handed at times with its metaphors, but it's a truly fantastic piece of cinema.
Rated 17 Feb 2019
jimmy_suedeJimmy Suede
Rated 30 Sep 2018
50
17th
Kind of makes me wish I'd rated Arrival and Interstellar higher. Even though those got corny at the end I wasn't constantly questioning characters' decisions, squinting at near-pitch-black scenes, and groaning quite as much at the pseudo-science. If characters did and said the same things in a B-movie, we'd be laughing at them, but because this film is atmospheric and beautiful at times it almost seems brainy. Almost.
Rated 30 Sep 2018
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 11 Jun 2018
75
77th
Wears its influences on its sleeve (mainly Tarkovsky and Kubrick), but in a good way. The themes of self-destruction, self-delusion, and confronting one's own identity are all thoughtfully explored. The underdeveloped supporting characters did bring this down a bit.
Rated 11 Jun 2018
mwgerbmwgerb
Rated 16 Apr 2018
78
93rd
I found Alex Garland's last opus a little lacking, but this one hit the cerebral sci-fi spot for me. Obviously indebted to Kubrick and Tarkovsky, but in a way that lives up to their influence, which is no easy feat. The visuals are sublime and the thrills are terrifying enough to haunt while also being slow-moving enough to allow you to chew the scenery and world that he has built. A fantastic original sci-fi.
Rated 16 Apr 2018
icarusIcarus
Rated 11 Apr 2018
70
40th
I wish I cared more about these characters. I like seeing more mainstream films tackle difficult subject matter like this, and to do so in a way that evokes some of the masters (esp. Tarkovsky here). But Garland still seems too focused on event more than contemplation, and that makes the whole thing less interesting than it could be. Still, it's beautiful to look at, and it's wrestling with some interesting ideas about the place of humanity in relation to the rest of the environment.
Rated 11 Apr 2018
pfightmasterPfightmaster
Rated 09 Apr 2018
90
96th
A deliciously weird throwback to John Carpenter-style 80s horror. Alex Garland again delivers one of the most perfect science fiction movies of this decade after Dredd and Ex Machina. Fine performances throughout, an impressively immersive plotline and one of the most terrifying finales I've seen in a sci fi flicl for a long ass time.
Rated 09 Apr 2018
bojanpopicbojanpopic
Rated 05 Apr 2018
81
63rd
Great potential, but at the end - it's a "meh" movie.
Rated 05 Apr 2018
rgbRGB
Rated 03 Apr 2018
66
18th
Disappointing and superficial, as 'Ex Machina'. I haven't read the book, but the movie is really pointless.
Rated 03 Apr 2018
mkellinsmkellins
Rated 03 Apr 2018
45
28th
Uninspired retelling of Stalker, with some stuff added from various other works of science fiction. The film has serious tone issues, looks cheap and has the worst dialogue I've heard in a while. However, many interesting ideas are presented and occasionally the creepy, dream-like atmosphere is captured well.
Rated 03 Apr 2018
maakalmaakal
Rated 30 Mar 2018
68
31st
Too derivative of what has come before. Halfway through, I realized it wasn't going to lead anywhere interesting, and zoned out. Some cool-looking creatures and effects save the film from being a disaster, but a stronger, more satisfying plot would have been nice.
Rated 30 Mar 2018
racunaracuna
Rated 28 Mar 2018
60
18th
Why do they not analyze the survivor's blood before going to the lighthouse? Why don't they just bomb the damn lighthouse? Why are the "smart" ones only woman?
Rated 28 Mar 2018
kenmeistersKenMeisters
Rated 21 Mar 2018
93
99th
Surreal, weird, terrifying at times and still meaningful. This is how you do an intelligent sci-fi movie. I hate the fact I had to see the movie on Netflix instead of in a cinema but rather this way than a cut of the movie that wasn't Garland's vision.
Rated 21 Mar 2018
joelwatchesmoviesjoelwatchesmovies
Rated 20 Mar 2018
7
63rd
Ultimately unhelpful flash-forwards and -backs mar an otherwise immersive (viscerally more than intellectually-the ending didn't satisfy) sci-fi experience initiated by the haunting homecoming scene early on: solid turns, an intense score, and monumental visuals carry the film from spooky (see the first wake-up) to grisly (see the bear attack; stomach cut) to weird (see the trippy cave scene), with just an unforgettable sense of "WTF is going on!?" (both in awe and terror) pervading it all.
Rated 20 Mar 2018
amerigoamerigo
Rated 19 Mar 2018
68
17th
A lot of potential here--decent ideas, cool visuals, competent cinematography. But the narrative sinks the whole movie: characters that have less backstory than the mystery-solving teenagers of Scooby Doo; a weird reification of science married to a reckless disregard of the barest hint of believablity; a script rarely exceeding the quality of a Lifetime channel original; constant overexplaining of obvious ideas; and the stark fact that what this flick tries to do, others have done much better.
Rated 19 Mar 2018
ddrudgesd_drudges
Rated 18 Mar 2018
40
44th
Blatant plagiarism, mostly of Tarkovsky's Stalker and Solaris, with some cliched Hollywood sentimentalism thrown in. I can't fathom the claims that this could be "too intelligent" for moviegoers, everything's explained multiple times through dialogue and there's even narration on top of that.
Rated 18 Mar 2018
90scoffee90sCoffee
Rated 15 Mar 2018
75
55th
I....don't know
Rated 15 Mar 2018
sherlock1024sherlock1024
Rated 14 Mar 2018
80
59th
Pretty, but I didn't love the plot.
Rated 14 Mar 2018
war_machineWar Machine
Rated 14 Mar 2018
60
26th
Thoughtdays-months+husbandMIAyearback-secrets-startsdying-SWATtakeslol+studioactingdirecting30min+memloss+mutations+tapecutstomach-moving+guyinwall+ithinktheysplit-forgetmemories-mutationkills+gatorthenbearkillgirl+EWmichelleinsane+bearparrotscreamlool-mauls+tessabecomeleaves+tapehusbandkillselfbiggunflashfire-husbanddupe+jenfireunivortex+clonesnat-crushed+METALMARIOLOL+human-grenadesher-sadlol-metalagain+allfire+didntwantanything-mirroring-changingall+soyou'renotmyhusbandetc+hugsher-eyeschange
Rated 14 Mar 2018
obdurateObdurate
Rated 12 Mar 2018
85
81st
Like others have said, this has some serious Tarkovsky running through it... which is fine by me because he is one of my faves. Annihilation is metaphorical and doesn't hold your hand. The Shimmer is both beautiful and terrifying. The scene with the bear in the house was incredible but there were a bunch of memorable scenes/visuals here. Portman was great. The soundtrack is vital to the atmosphere. It's nice to get an intelligent sci-fi flick that doesn't offer easy answers.
Rated 12 Mar 2018
theficionadotheficionado
Rated 09 Mar 2018
75
74th
Weds Stalker's trek through a mysterious land that seems to represent the participants' inner states to 2001's consideration of the destiny of mankind. That turns out to be fruitful, bringing concern with personal experience & suffering into conversation with notions that humanity, like all species, represents a transitory form before something different inevitably replaces it. Also, the idea of a monster that bodily incorporates the anguish of its victims is genuinely nightmarish.
Rated 09 Mar 2018
filliganFilligan
Rated 08 Mar 2018
96
94th
Well, if we're still evaluating art in fifty years from now, this will be regarded as one of the few masterworks that slipped through the collective consciousness and will probably be held up on a pedestal. The more I consider this film, the more complexities I find, and I become more in awe of it. It works as adult sci-fi, as thought-provoking storytelling, as allegory, as deft filmmaking, as nightly terrors, as the closest thing I've seen to Kubrickian since Kubrick. It's otherworldly.
Rated 08 Mar 2018
prepwrestlerprepwrestler
Rated 06 Mar 2018
50
6th
Its a shame that Alex Garland created this after having recent hits of "28 Days Later" and "Ex Machina" one of my two favorite movies. There are so many plot holes it is difficult to enjoy the movie. From the terrible unrealistic alligator scene that somehow the girl went unscratched, to the night-time bear scene where for some reason the girls came down from the guard tower, to the woman who turns into a flower?, and to the extremley weak team sent to the shimmer. It was just a terrible movie.
Rated 06 Mar 2018
kanjay101kanjay101
Rated 25 Feb 2018
91
71st
Very creepy atmosphere, simultaneously frightening and enticing. The creatures are unique and memorable. My stomach was getting tighter as the movie progressed till it was in knots during the final third. Overall it was a well-made world that gave you an intensity that made you feel like constantly looking over your shoulder.
Rated 25 Feb 2018
backwardsuitbackwardsuit
Rated 24 Jul 2019
73
59th
The whole "Stalker light" brand feels somewhat appropriate although it surely does no favours for either. Relies heavily on startling visual effects to convey atmosphere, story & theme. There's no inherent problem with that but I feel the creativity in their design & use is inconsistent to the point of muddling the overall effect. Same goes for the plot that feels as muddled & overreaching as it does intriguing & mysterious. Good on Garland though for trying to bring back actual sci-fi.
Rated 24 Jul 2019
oldgoatoldgoat
Rated 27 Nov 2018
76
71st
Literally every person I've ever heard speak about women not being shown as smart or strong in movies and bitching about 'representation' also hasn't seen or heard of this movie.
Rated 27 Nov 2018
killgazmokillgazmo
Rated 20 Aug 2018
10
56th
Pretty good flick and concept that was an enjoyable ride. How a loose idea of a "prism" manages to transfer dna from species too species in a manner that doesnt just result in gloop due to incompatible components is kind of a bit too vague a mystery, but the overall visuals and feel of it plus the mystery of what sort of creation would come next makes up for quite a bit. I love this sort of 2001 monilith-ish "beyond us" sort of narrative though quite a bit, wins points with me.
Rated 20 Aug 2018
feublofeublo
Rated 07 Aug 2018
55
11th
I feel robbed of the ideas that were opened to explore when the film reaches the end. I was expecting a much darker and more detailed finale that defined the nature of the plot. Instead, I got a disappointing 'Reboot' cartoon like character that's almost ambiguous but just not sold on it. Thank god for Natalie Portman.
Rated 07 Aug 2018
iqcumberiqcumber
Rated 01 Jul 2018
58
23rd
A fun dumb ride, with Tarkovsky-dream influences, Avatar candyland colours, and not very much to think about,
Rated 01 Jul 2018
neonmanNeonman
Rated 25 Jun 2018
81
66th
I'll admit I am (or the film is) confused as to what exact point it's making, if any, but the very cinematic last segment seems to break the film away from its solid concrete existence into something more meandering, mystical, and grandiose, making this a hell of a journey to follow. It does seem to get better and better, featuring less exposition and more intrigue as it develops -- I wish it was shorter and sharper as this gets close to being a modern sci-fi film a cut above the rest.
Rated 25 Jun 2018
aaautinAAAutin
Rated 04 Jun 2018
78
89th
BEARkovsky?
Rated 04 Jun 2018
timmytomtimmytom
Rated 18 May 2018
79
72nd
Didn't make a lick of sense, but I enjoyed it.
Rated 18 May 2018
andaybandayb
Rated 10 May 2018
65
68th
it has its quirks but all in all annihilation is a solid sci-fi experience. the ideas it floats have all been explored before, but this doesn't really distract that much from the story. intriguing, tense and well acted.
Rated 10 May 2018
bktanbktan
Rated 01 May 2018
58
27th
Thinks it's more than it actually is.
Rated 01 May 2018
philamentalphilamental
Rated 01 May 2018
63
42nd
Will probably require a second viewing but the first time around was a worthwhile experience. I feel the film is too deliberately ambiguous and vague which leaves a lot open to the viewers interpretation. Some will love that aspect, I prefer a bit more clarity as when there is too much scope for personal interpretation it feels the movie lacks a degree of purpose. Still, Annihilation is cerebral sci fi and has a number of strong scenes so it's worth a watch if you know what you're getting in to
Rated 01 May 2018
karatoprakkaratoprak
Rated 15 Apr 2018
68
28th
beautifully designed mutation artworks of nature, yet cliche screenplay with lazy dialogues. garland is far away from what he has done with the wonderful ex machina.
Rated 15 Apr 2018
xenophuleXenophule
Rated 15 Apr 2018
8
50th
Watch: if you're in a trippy mood | I thought shroom-style movies died out in the 70s, but Alex Garland has somehow figured out how to bring it back. The flashbacks are interesting, but I feel they could be taken out with no loss. It does a good job at being thoughtful, pretty, and just ahead of what you're expecting.
Rated 15 Apr 2018
dunder74Dunder74
Rated 05 Apr 2018
5
30th
wet blanket. garland does a respectable job making a pretty picture, but oh dear does everything else just flail around. that strange, forced expression portman makes often? same.
Rated 05 Apr 2018
nyctalopeNyctalope
Rated 04 Apr 2018
70
30th
A potentially great movie bogged down by an overly complicated and plodding third act; rife with pacing issues. Great visuals, musical score, and presence of the Skull Bear put it into the "decent" range.
Rated 04 Apr 2018
nacho353Nacho353
Rated 01 Apr 2018
40
39th
The flashbacks and flashforwards were bullshit and unnecessary. And so it was the sciencish DNA refraction explanation of what was going on. The introductory part and the characters were also kind of weak but didn't damage the movie like the former defects. Other than that, great film.
Rated 01 Apr 2018
adam_p_dAdam P-D
Rated 28 Mar 2018
40
39th
Does anyone in her class or watching the movie need the cell division exposition? Why didn't they start by sending someone in just a few meters? Why does everyone accept the 'death by something/each-other' false dilemma? Why is the only person to have come out alive accompanied by one snoozing doctor? Why is only one of the team doing any research? These are just a few of the nagging questions that made this movie feel really stupid. Entertaining though! Like a daft old Star Trek episode.
Rated 28 Mar 2018
orcunyondemorcunyondem
Rated 23 Mar 2018
88
83rd
Excellent metaphors, I can't describe it better. It has great visuals but confusing sound effects Also; disappointing performances from Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac.
Rated 23 Mar 2018

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