Annihilation☄️ (2018) MOVIE REACTION - First Time Watching!

[@icatfishedyourdad2767]

What I like most about this movie is its approach to a potential alien “invasion” and how its similar to cancer. People sometimes tend to anthropomorphise cancer- it’s evil, it’s cruel, it’s a monster- when really, it’s just doing what it was designed to do. Like the alien life form that is taking over Area X, it has no wants, no needs, no way to reason with it- it’s just doing what it was designed to do. And to me, that’s more frightening than anything.

[@zevikan8638]

Yup. I thought it was interesting too the thematic through-line of self-destruction and how that ties into the whole cancer thing. Lena's area of interest as a biologist is cellular senescence; the way that cells are programmed to self destruct after a certain number of divisions. It's sort of painted as a negative thing in the movie: with Lena telling her husband that dying is an error of our DNA that we could potentially fix; it feels like a negative thing again when Ventress draws the parallel between that and people's tendency to self-destruct. It feels like this hopeless terrible fact of existence. That every living thing somehow is drawn towards bringing about it's own demise, a fact that seems to contradict the defining principle of what life is meant to be/do. That theme is juxtaposed against the shimmer and the way it operates in sort of the same way cancer does. It's almost like a meta cancer, it grows and mutates endlessly while causing the same to happen to everything it touches. It's like a tumor on reality itself. And just like Cancer (as you said) the shimmer isn't merely a destructive force. Cancer isn't something that wipes out your cells - it actually does the opposite. It's a malfunction of your cells' self-destruct programming, which causes them to divide and replicate endlessly and unchecked. In a weird sort of way, cancer is what happens when a small part of you starts "living" WAY too much. And obviously when that happens it tends to end up killing the cancer and the organism it was a part of. The shimmer in a similar way isn't causing everything to die, it's just causing everything to mutate and change endlessly. That results in a lot of weird and terrifying stuff but also a lot of beauty. Regardless though, all that change and mutation is a disruption of the natural order, which WILL bring about the Annihilation of everything we know if left to it's devices. Consequently, I kind of feel like when the alien Lena accepts the grenade and uses it to start burning everything, it was sort of the like the Cancer becoming self-aware. Real Lena seemed to come to terms with the whole idea of self-destruction that she was conflicted about previously. She realized it's inevitability and even it's necessity after all the stuff she encountered with the shimmer and the alien. And I think that realization sort of transferred over when the Alien finished transforming into her. After all, the alien didn't have any explicit goals, it didn't really WANT anything good or bad. it was just like a force of nature driven by blind impulse, to grow and replicate and change. But as it took on the form of Lena, it became aware of what it was doing and understood it through Lena's eyes. As Lena tried to kill it, it understood why she was doing that and why it was probably necessary. In it's final act, it not only accepted it's own death, but also mutated the fire from the Phosphorus grenade to destroy everything it had done as it was burning. At least that's how I interpret what happened there. It might be a bit of a leap but it feels like it makes sense and it's also a really poetic sort of way to bring it all together.

[@MetastaticMaladies]

The author of this book is very much a naturalist, he loves planets and animals, even has his own little “mini-ecosystem” around his house. He certainly took inspiration from nature and how it’s unstoppable and will always find a way to survive and spread, if it can.

[@jahliafinney707]

I agree. Imo the original Lena escaped, but she was mutated by the shimmer. While Kane is a clone acting on the original's orders

[@lisiepraety6712]

on the ourobouros tattoo: i think her dna got mixed with the dead guy and the bruise was the first stage of her dna making the tattoo

[@silkshines00]

its like ship of theseus with people. If you change out every piece cell by cell is she still Lena? She's certainly not the same Lena. And I think that's why they hug at the end, we know its maybe not the original kane, but theyre both so changed they have to accept each other. Also, the book is different in some plot elements but its very stylistic and its a striking read.

[@nicebluejay]

I think it's the "real" Lena, but as her DNA is so severely altered at this point it's not the original unmodified Lena. So yes, and no. However, in Kane's case, that is the alien version, 100%.

[@GKViddingHD]

The gorgeous soundtrack in that hole scene - is by Moderat. :)

[@lisiepraety6712]

this is one of my favourite movies im so excited to watch your reaction!!

[@beezyqueen]

not enough people react to this- great movie

[@bethanythatsme]

Agreed

[@mvvagner]

100% I don't know why not. it makes for such a great reaction

[@evlolve]

I love that you love sci-fi, all your favorites so far are my favorites as well. So, I have to selfishly recommend The Expanse when you're next looking for a new show. Keep it coming, love your work.

[@AmbassadorKat]

I hope he sees this, would love to watch him react to The Expanse

[@meghanmonroe]

Speaking of Oscar Isaac, have you seen Ex Machina? Do it, it's great. It goes with your sci-fi theme.

[@davrothelegend]

@meghanmonroe same director. Alex Garland. I highly recommend TV series DEVS

[@drummertp12]

i loved this movie! i think from the point she enters the lighthouse my mouth just hung open. so beautiful!

[@Amanda7119]

I'm obsessed with this book series. I loved the movie because it's really different from the book, instead of just a copy. Like same basic idea, in the same place, different things going on. The book tickles my brain so nicely- it's hard for me to understand, so I have to re-read sections of it to make sure I understand well. The images it creates in my mind though, are beautiful. I think this is the only movie I've seen based on a book, that isn't like the book. The book goes so much more in depth, and I'm not positive I completely really grasped what happened. I would love if they made more movies based off the other books in the series, the same way they adapted this one.

[@drummertp12]

i saw that the books are like a whole series, would you reccomend them after watching the movie an giving it some time to breath?

[@Amanda7119]

@ I would definitely recommend the books! I saw the movie a few times before I found out it was based off a book, and so I actually just read the first 3 this past year. They just came out with a 4th one this past October (it was a trilogy) and I’m making my way through that one right now. I was worried it might not match the others (since it wasn’t supposed to exist), but I’m still getting the good brain tickle from it already!

[@drummertp12]

@@Amanda7119 alright, i will check them out!

[@LadyNyxTheSorceress]

I was so excited to see you doing this movie! The book that this movie is loosely based on is by Jeff VanderMeer, he’s a local writer here in my hometown of Tallahassee! We are proud of him. There are 3 books in this series. This movie changes a lot of things in the book but both are great. This story takes place here in northern Florida and the lighthouse in the movie is based on the St. Marks lighthouse that’s just south of Tallahassee.

[@whoroborous]

the fourth book just came out ❤

[@LadyNyxTheSorceress]

@ I’ll have to ask for that for Christmas!

[@rese9016]

@@whoroborous oh my god thanks for reminding me!

[@bethanythatsme]

I've watched the full length reaction a couple of times already on Patreon & I have to say thank you. Sometimes life kicks you in the shins, so you disassociate to your favs & the commentary helps. All the best to you and your family 💙

[@toms5996]

Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer is one of my favourite horror novels. Movie is ok, the book is scary😅

[@whoroborous]

HEY, FRIEND!!! Book 4 just came out, if you weren't aware ❤ also, dunno how much Vandermeer you've read, but 'Borne' is another one of his that I adore. Also, him and his wife have like... 3 anthologies of short stories they put together: weird fiction, sci-fi, and some sort of fantasy... They're all so rad. Aaaand, shot in the dark, but -- you might dig 'Perdido Street Station', by China Miéville.. just throwin it out there happy reading 🙃

[@bethanythatsme]

Just picked up the first book. It'll be a great Christmas read.

[@toms5996]

@@whoroborous Thank you so much for all this information! I have read all of the original Southern Reach (Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance) and the whole series is just excellent. And just started with Absolution. I've never read the author for his other works and don't know your other recommendation but will definitely check them out now.

[@alexandretorres5087]

The book is much better. Also, I don't like this movie director.

The second Kane was a clone... Like how Lena cloned herself and then walked into the cavern with the grenade. Except it's not the ORIGINAL Kane... It's the clone who recorded the video of the REAL Kane lighting his ass up like a Christmas tree... Like he asked Lena at the end "are you Lena?". She actually WASN'T Lena!!! She had become "Lena who was affected by the shimmer"... Anything that enters the shimmer is INSTANTLY AND FOREVER changed at a molecular level.

[@Kraev369]

This movie absolutely blows my mind! I think its supposed to leave you just wondering and thinking because yeah i still think about it to this day and ive only seen it a few times. Its great though...truly makes you think about some trippy ass shit lol! This was amazing im so glad you reacted to this, thank you and happy holidays to all.

[@tiapesi2738]

If you love Sci-Fi, I just have ro leave a comment again about my favourite movie: Everything, Everywhere, All at once. I can't describe why it is a masterpiece. Because, how can you? It is the same as with Fleabag, you can't describe it, you must just experience it. I know you will ADORE it

[@LordInsidious]

0:41 SAME! My god I love this movie sooo much. One of my all time faves(sidenote, if you dug this Ex Machina is another of this directors' bangers). So glad to see you checkin this one out, dude. Let's fuckin GOOOOOOO 😁😁😎😎😎😎 4:08 meet cancer, Frank. One of the major themes of this movie.. . 25:27 now meet the scream bear. Good times....*shudders*

[@aammaalliiaa]

lemme leave a comment and support! love this film.

[@bald_eagleusa]

Excellent introspective reaction as usual. I’m HIGHLY suggesting an under-rated sci-fi for your future reaction. Oddly enough it has the same director of Annihilation. And the actor who played the husband is also in the movie I’m recommending: Ex Machina

[@TheYaddayadda]

Lena went into the shimmer because she felt she owed it to Kane to try to help him, because of the affair. Lena, also altered by the shimmer, now is out with Kane. Thanks to the innate human impulse towards annhiliation, now the alien dna is out of the shimmer and quite possibly will spread to the rest of the world. The shimmer is gone, but the alien dna lives on. The annhiliative act of one person may lead to the annhiliation of the entire world as we know it. Cosmic horror at its bleakest.

[@smp6565]

Never liked this movie and liked the books even less but your reactions are just too great to skip! Always a joy to watch and listen to your insight and thoughts!

[@lisiepraety6712]

if i remember correctly in the book the word annihilation has a different meaning SPOILERS ventress was actually conducting an experiment on the scientists and annihilation was a code word for them to self destruct but lena was able to override it by exploring the tower which is like the lighthouse in this movie but a neverending staircase into the ground

[@lisiepraety6712]

as for part 2: there are three books in the southern reach series but they probably won't make movie adaptations for them because of how different this movie is from the original book

[@Trippleaxx]

Love this movie! If you haven’t seen it there’s a great video essay by acolytes of horror about it. It also talks about the book a bit :)

[@mcoupe69]

Heads up (you tagged the breakfast club instead of annihilation) Seems like the last few movie reactions have been

[@SgtWicket]

It’s refreshing to see someone so thoughtful watch this movie. There were a lot of disappointing, shallow reactions to it when it came out. This is a movie that wears its themes very openly on its sleeves which I think is fun. The only thing I didn’t like was the eye shine at the end. It was very B horror movie vibes and it fueled a lot of the bad reaction videos.

[@alexandretorres5087]

I don't like this movie becouse I read the book first, and it is SO different. I like the book more. Also, man, aren't you going to watch the Interview with The Vampire Season 3 teaser trailer?