Annihilation
Overview
Annihilation is a 2018 science fiction horror film written and directed by Alex Garland, based on the 2014 novel by Jeff VanderMeer. The film stars Natalie Portman as Lena, a biologist and former soldier. Her husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac), returns home after being missing for a year. He is sick and dying. Lena joins a mission to investigate "The Shimmer," a mysterious, quarantined zone that is expanding. The film is a tense, terrifying, and visually stunning sci-fi horror film. It was a critical success, but a commercial disappointment, earning over $43 million on a $55 million budget. The film explores themes of mutation, identity, and the nature of reality. The film features a memorable performance by Natalie Portman as a woman who is losing her mind. The film is notable for its use of practical effects and its terrifying creature design, including a bear that mimics the screams of its victims.