A sci-fi thriller where horror meets philosophy (yes!), Annihilation, starring Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac, is a smart and powerful work signed by Alex Garland. to see on Netflix.
Moving away from futuristic propositions similar to Blade Runner, Annihilation takes viewers to Area X, where strange phenomena have been noticed by an expedition of scientists, including Lena (Natalie Portman). The latter volunteers to find out what happened to her husband, Ken (Oscar Isaac), a soldier who returned from the previous campaign with serious psychological and physical consequences.
Lina and her teammates will also encounter Area X and the mysteries it holds. Each of them suffers the consequences of the transformations of the region, which has been invaded by a strange force that changes different species…
The fate of Alex Garland’s work is very upset. After starring in his first solo production in 2014 with the massive Ex Machina, he returned in 2018 with exterminationA wonderful melancholy sci-fi thriller where nature takes back its rights over humans.
The Paramount studio, which produced the film, considered it too complex, and asked the director to make Natalie Portman’s character more sympathetic and modify her film’s ending. Supporting Producer, Scott Rudin pits Alex Garland against David Ellison, Paramount financier, then in the midst of a change of direction.
However, a solution was found: the film would remain the same and Paramount would take care of the theatrical release in the US and China. A deal was inked with Netflix for the US platform to stream the film in the rest of the world 17 days after the official US release.
A release made on tiptoe in Uncle Sam’s Land: Barely over 2,000 screens…. Produced for $55 million (even if other sources say a $40 million budget), extermination Only 43 million dollars. In other words, a stinging slap in the face at the international box office.
Paramount Pictures
Adaptation of the first part of a literary trilogy written by author Jeff VanderMeer and called Southern Reach TrilogyAnd extermination followed by authority And the’Acceptance; The three stories were published a few months later in 2014. Paramount had optioned the literary epic the previous year, with the intention of making it a trilogy. So that was not the case.
In comments by Garland reported by the site IndieWire in 2018At the time of the film’s release, the director had himself nailed the idea of tying up these potential sequels. “I wouldn’t have a problem if someone directs them, but I’m not interested in the idea of a sequel.
As soon as I finish something, I immediately move forward; So I have no opinion on the Annihilation sequel. From the beginning, I made it clear to everyone from the studio to the actors that I didn’t see it as part of the franchise. My goal was to make this movie and to do it the best I could. “
And to drive the point home a bit more: “Sequels don’t interest me. It’s like you don’t like meat, you don’t make the decision not to eat meat, you just don’t eat meat. I don’t do a sequel.” So close the ban.
So there is still this clever and unique work, which weaves between horror and philosophy, to be discovered on Netflix.
