Alex Garland’s Annihilation is a film that should have ignited the box office. It is exactly the type of original filmmaking that audiences lament theatres need more of. Unfortunately, due to poor marketing and its high concept, which asks more questions than it answers, the film flew under the radar for many people.

Thankfully, there is another chance to experience the film, or revisit it in more depth, as Annihilation arrives on a Blu-ray/DVD/Digital combo pack today courtesy of Paramount Home Media Distribution. Filled with over an hour of extras, there are plenty for both newcomers and fans of the film to dive into. Trust me, you will want to explore the special features immediately after Annihilation is done to see how they pulled off many of the technical achievements in the film.

A challenging film from beginning to end, there is a coldness to the characters and the lush environments that is fascinating to behold. It makes the themes regarding life, reinvention and the destructive nature of mankind resonates in an unsettling way.

Based on Jeff VanderMeer’s novel, the film follows a biologist, Lena (Natalie Portman), as she joins a team of scientists (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson and Tuva Novotny) on a dangerous mission into an entity known as The Shimmer. No one knows where the dome style entity came from, but no one who has gone into it has ever come out. That is until Lena’s soldier husband Kane (Oscar Isaac) mysteriously returns after being inside for several years.

Determined to find out what happen to her husband, Lena quickly discovers that The Shimmer may hold the keys to both unlocking the mysteries of life and the power to destroy it all together.

A visually stunning and thought-provoking piece of cinema, Annihilation is an experience unlike any other. Through its exquisite sound design and meditative approach to mankind’s relation to nature and each other, it leaves the audience with plenty to ponder.

While the special features focus heavily on the technical aspects of the film, they are all worth one’s time. Two of the highlights include the “Unfathomable Mind,” which focuses on the significance of the visual effects, and “For Those That Follow,” which finds the cast shedding light on their characters and why they wanted to be part of the film.

One of the year’s best films, Annihilation is a film that demands to be revisited for years to come.

Special Features:

Part 1 – Southern Reach
*Refractions
*For Those That Follow
Part 2 – Area X
*Shimmer
*Vanished into Havoc
Part 3 – To the Lighthouse
*Unfathomable Mind
*The Last Phase

Published by Courtney Small

The founder of Cinema Axis, Courtney is a Rotten Tomatoes approved critic who can frequently be heard discussing film as co-host of Frameline on Radio Regent. Courtney has contributed to several publications including Leonard Maltin, That Shelf, POV Magazine, In the Seats, Black Girl Nerds, and Comix Asylum. He has appeared on ET Canada and Hollywood Suite's Cinema A to Z. Courtney celebrates diversity in cinema as host of the Changing Reels podcast and is a member of the Toronto Film Critics Association, the Online Film Critics Society, and the African American Film Critics Association. He is also a Golden Globes International Voter.

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3 Comments

  1. Annihilation is a really quirky, high-concept sci-fi film. Really enjoyed it actually, it was very different, and the nature of the films narrative effortlessly draws you into the mystery within the Shimer. There are some scary moments too and it certainly offers some challenging concepts for the viewer to contemplate. A great film, and one that was sadly overlooked by many.

    1. We need to get to a point where audiences and studios are more willing to embrace high-concept fare. We have gotten too use to the status quo (i.e. franchise model) when it comes to big budget sci-fi films.

      1. Totally agree, I think audiences have become accustomed to being spoon fed every detail, that they are unwilling to go for movies that challenge and push the envelope a bit more in the sci-fi genre.

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