Annihilation (2018)

 

A meteorite crashes into the southern United States. Three years later, the area around the landing point has become known as the "Shimmer", a strange and unknowable zone where electronic communications cease to work and from which no human expedition has returned.  They all simply vanish, never heard from again.

At least, that's the case until someone does return.  A year after entering the Shimmer, a man named Kane suddenly reappears at his home, hundreds of miles away.  His wife Lena is shocked and thrilled to see him, then horrified as his physical condition dramatically deteriorates.

Kane is brought to a the military base near the Shimmer, where his condition is serious and he is barely clinging to life.  Lena is desperate to find a way to save her, and when she is offered the chance to join the next expedition into the Shimmer, she agrees.  Perhaps there she will find the answers she needs.

Lena knows why she wants to risk the Shimmer; she should perhaps be asking herself some other questions: why do the other members of the team want to risk it?  Why did the team leader choose to invite her?  And are the humans the only ones with an agenda here?

Annihilation is based on - "inspired by" might actually be a more accurate phrase - Jeff VanderMeer's novel of the same name.  The director's avowed focus was to take the premise and "dreamlike tone" of the book, not to directly adapt the story to screen. I think this was a good call, myself.  But then, I didn't much like the novel!

The resulting film has gorgeous visuals and definitely captures the strange, otherworldly atmosphere for which it was going.  I also think the plot it presents - while far from straightforward in how it is laid out, and still willing to leave things open to interpretation - is significantly more coherently presented.

A fine example of how to make a successful adaptation of a novel by focusing on theme and feel rather than specific details.