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| Seriously, cannot get over those visuals. So tasty. |
I enjoyed Ex Machina. A lot. I cannot begin to describe how much I thought about its visuals, its simple narrative, and its larger ethical commentary on the nature of artificial intelligence.
There. Now I've said that.
Because Annihilation is a MUCH more visually interesting than Ex Machina. At least, in my opinion.
Annihilation is based upon the book by of the same name written by Jeff VanderMeer, (the first part of his "Southern Reach Trilogy"), and was adapted into a film format by Alex Garland. Naturally the film deviates somewhat from the narrative of the book, with some alterations where needed in order to preserve the narrative of the film. I personally haven't read VanderMeer's books, but the story presented in the film was actually familiar to me before I even saw the movie.
When I first saw the trailers for the film, I actually thought it was an adaptation of the Lovecraft short story "The Color (Colour) Out of Space."
SPOILER WARNING if you ever want to read either the short story or see the film, here's the short version of the both the film and the short story:
Somewhere in the United States, (presumably the East Coast), a meteorite has crashed on earth (in the film into the base of a light house) and a strange "shimmer" begins to radiate out from the crash site, slowly, and over the course of several months. This shimmer (or Colour as Lovecraft called it) has an effect on the environment within its radius, mutating and changing the flora and fauna within to either beautiful or horrifying mutations. Turns out, at the origin point of the crash, there was an entity/alien, that simply was affecting the environment until ultimately, it would make it unrecognizable to anything that could exist on earth. It was not a malevolent force (though in Lovecraft's short story, it's hard to say), and it did not seem to want anything. It's ultimate effect was literally annihilation. Suffice it to say, in both stories, the Colour/Shimmer/Entity was countered in some way (or just left the planet in the short story), but it's implied that some small part of the Colour remained on earth to have further unseen consequences on the planet or its inhabitants.
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| I mean, you can see how I could confuse the two, right? |
Now, of course, this narrative diverges between the book, the movie, and the short story, but ultimately, these are the parallels that connect them. "But is the movie worth seeing?," I hear you ask. Well, in short, yeah. It's a little slow to get started, but still very enjoyable at least on a visual scale. However, if you're sensitive to bloody or disturbing imagery, be aware that there are some scenes which may be uncomfortable to watch. It has an "R" rating for a reason. But in case you need more convincing, I'll dissect this film into its best parts and give you a full review.
The Plot
Since I've already discussed the main points of the plot in comparison to the Lovecraft story, I'll just talk about the pacing and story progression.
I was told recently by a some friends who went to go see it that they felt it was a bit slow. And I concede, the story is a character-driven narrative, so the film isn't going to be an action-filled rumpus through a monster-infested landscape. Remember that this film is by the same people who made Ex Machina. Slow and steady wins the race in this case. Although the trailer lent to the idea that it was going to have more action scenes than it did.
Regarding the action, the film is a bit slow to start, taking some time to set up the main arc of the story, which is the journey into The Shimmer itself. I personally have to give some props to Alex Garland, since he resisted the urge to launch headlong into the adventure. For those of you who need action in order to stay with it though, fear not, because there are plenty of scenes with guns and blood. In no particular order, there is a scene with a bear(?), an albino alligator, and someone who goes nuts.
That said, it is a bit too slow in the film's first act. But the film is taking us on a journey, and like any actual adventure, there are more quiet moments than loud.
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| Spooky the Bear is scarier than your average bear. |
The Visuals
I think it goes without saying that the movie is a VFX artist's best dream. With some additional set pieces to boot. Seriously, major props to the set design, because they were on point in this film. The VFX artists are using the same CGI technology they used in Ex Machina, so the visual realism of their creatures/entities look as though they are actually there. Well, at least for certain scenes. In other scenes, you still can recognize that there are computer computer-generated images on screen. But they do a very convincing job overlaying the CG on top of the live action Case in point, there is a naturalness to the behavior of the creatures that helps to sell the performance of the actors.
Since the majority of the film takes place within the Shimmer, and by extension the marshland it encompasses, the camera has to convey the feeling of the warm, yet surreal glow of the area. There are vibrant colors on screen in the foreground and in the background of the jungle that contrast to the cool, muted colors of the urban and natural environments presented in the first act of the film.
Long story short, the CG works like artwork: it completes the scene when it's used.
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| Whoa, something cool's going on here I bet. |
The Set Design
Like the VFX in this film, the set designs are basically the canvas in which all the CG images are drawn into. There are set pieces that are just oozing with detail (literally oozing in some scenes) that require a closer inspection to truly appreciate. The biggest highlights I care to point out are the sets in which the unnatural nature is overtaking the urban environments. It may be a personal point, but I have become fascinated with areas like in Chernobyl, where the environment is no longer habitable due to whatever factor, and the world just retakes it. In the film, there was a whole town in which nature had overtaken the man man-made houses, added with the bizarrely beautiful mutations occurring all over the place. It was very beautiful, and their efforts did not go unnoticed.
The Music
I had to make mention of the music in this film, because it has a deep connection to the action on screen. This is a bit of a spoiler but the type of music changes to match the natural or unnaturalness of each scene portrayed. A common motif used for each act or "chapter" in the film was a simple acoustic guitar riff which transitioned us into the next scene. If you go to see the film, pay special attention to the music used at the climax of the film, and how it sounds in comparison to the rest of the film. I believe that is the only point in the movie in which the music is at its most divergent from the rest of the soundtrack. For some people this may sound like musical inconsistency, but if you listen closely, it's actually just the natural progression of the musical score reaching its apex.
The Cinematography
I'm sure most people will say this about the film, but I also thought the cinematography was amazing. But perhaps I enjoyed the cinematography for different reasons than others. For instance, there were shots that connected visually at the start of the film to shots used at the end. If you're planning to go see the film, keep an eye out for what I like to call 'division shots'. You'll get it once you see it. Throughout the movie there are images invoking ideas of mirrors, reflections, genes, and cell division, which are all running themes in this film. These "division shots" are present at the start and at the end of the film, tying the whole film together rather thematically. There is a particular soft soft-focus filter that originates around the edges of the frame in certain shots that is just inexplicably appealing, and it tends to draw the eyes towards the shots that are in the focal zone in the center of the shot.
When our the characters were actually in The Shimmer or "Area X", there was a visual quality in the sunlight that made you think of a kaleidoscopic crystal or a pool of oil on cellophane. I think these minute details and qualities add to the film in such a way as not to be distracting, but still noticeable, and easily appreciated once the film actually gets going.
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| Thompson, Portman, and Rodriguez (left to right) |
This may or may not be a point that people agree with, but I felt that, outside of the main cast (Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez, Oscar Isaac) the performances by all the other actors felt very muted in most interactions. This can also be said in some instances with Tessa Thompson and Jennifer J. Leigh. Though they were part of the main five characters we focus in on after the first act, there were times when the emotion conveyed by them felt a little too distant, or like there were under-performing. Except Gina Rodriguez who I personally feel gave one of the most human performances in the film. She was able to imbue that human quality of making light of a grim situation. After witnessing horrors within the shimmer, she began to question everything around her. It perhaps may be attributed to the fact that her character is a surveyor, and unlike the rest of her team, she has to make sense of Area X with her normal understanding of the world. Of course, Portman as the lead does a fantastic job as well. Especially in that climactic scene, where she literally goes for a solid five minutes on screen not speaking, --the emotional conveyance in her face says volumes.
Strange, I seem to be on a kick with slightly silent protagonists. Perhaps I should watch A Silent Child, or some Charlie Chaplin feature next...
The Results
This film has, without a doubt, some of the most interesting and beautiful visuals I have seen in recent years. It feels less like a narrative, which itself is pretty simple, and more like a walk in another world. The irony of course is that this world was built in our world's back yard. Though you may not feel as connected to the characters, and the story may be a slow starter, you will feel different leaving the theater. Whether or not you will enjoy it is entirely up to you. All I can recommend is that you appreciate the film more as art than entertainment; having this in mind will allow you to enjoy it a little more fully than just watching it normally.
The reason that I defend this movie as a worthwhile feature, is because it is one of the few films out recently that is pushing the boundaries on visual effects and visual storytelling in cinema. Sure, it's no Black Panther or even Blade Runner: 2049, but it's a visual art piece in its own right. Not to mention, it leaves open the possibility for future adaptations of more cosmic-based features or other-worldly stories. Who knows, we may actually get to refine "weird nature" as a sub-genre in future films.
So get a hold of the film however you can, get some popcorn and snacks, and prepare to go on a walk into a wild, beautifully weird world. This film may just leave you feeling... Annihilated.
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