Jennifer Jason Leigh, Natalie Portman, Tuva Novotny, Tessa Thompson, and Gina Rodriguez prepare to enter "The Shimmer" in Annihilation (Image © Paramount Pictures)
ANNIHILATION: A-
It pains me to imagine how many great sci-fi movies we'd have from writer/director Alex Garland if he escaped Danny Boyle's grasp sooner. Ex Machina set the standard, but Annihilation is a much more ambitious beast. The film's genetic makeup is all kinds of screwy. It's H.R. Giger fused with Joseph Conrad. For each intellectually stimulating sequence, there’s a terrifying one closely on its heels. It’s a thrilling ride that hits a few bumps towards the end, but Garland deserves massive praise for bringing this much audacity to the mainstream. It’s hard-nosed, adult Science Fiction with a capital "S".
Trevor Dillon
Annihilation
Starring Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac
Written & Directed by Alex Garland
In Theaters Now