Annihilation’s Cosmic Framing

Why is Alex Garland's Annihilation so creep and unpleasant, yet beautiful and elegant? What makes it feel so...alien? Well, a lot of it has to do with how the film builds up its cosmic 'off-ness', and at the center of it all is this one shot composition: a frame within a frame shot.
Let's take a look.
(Also, of course, the original material is masterful so that helps)
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Extra Credits:
A read on 'frame within a frame' shot:
photographycourse.net/frame-w...
Sound from www.freesound.org/people/klank...
Timestamp
0:00 Introduction
1:07 The one shot
2:36 The three types
3:34 Accumulation
4:04 i. Uncanny
4:32 Deviation
5:27 ii. Stalker
6:23 Past vs Present
6:48 Set Design
7:40 Light Setup
8:20 iii. The Light
9:08 Invitation
9:53 iv. The Big Bang
10:14 Humanoid
10:30 Force
10:57 Last Act
12:05 Inevitability
13:14 The Beautiful Terror
14:09 The Moment
14:26 Real Annihilation
15:21 Thank You

[@SpikimaMovies]

What's YOUR favourite sci-fi horror film??

[@mikey_m114]

This is very cliché, but I really love Alien! The Xenomorph design is so iconic and it does such a good job of creating tension! :D

[@chrs-wltrs]

"Color Out of Space" is oddly terrifying, even with Nicholas Cage's more avant garde acting style

[@Wolfe-zl4ld]

The Fly (1986) Body horror at its best

[@ghoulish6125]

The Thing Super cold-take (lol), but there's obvious reasons for its popularity. Im also a pretty big sucker for prwxtical effects. I'll take fun, campy attempts over a slew of digital spatterings any day. But the film you covered is #2. I read the trilogy after watching it. Great "environmentalism" horror

[@kitsune2934]

Event Horizon

[@John-ob8vm]

The bear scene and the lighthouse copy scene are two of the most horrifying things I've ever seen in a film. There are horror movies that can terrify through gore and jump scares, but the psychological horror of those two scenes is unmatched. And they fit so well into the idea of The Shimmer's recombination and copying. I will point out that the title Annihilation is also a physics term that describes when a particle and antiparticle collide and are both annihilated.

[@grungyasscinema]

The lighthouse double scene is sublime and beautiful.

[@74bhounds]

One of the scariest things for me was the scene where (Josie?) becomes one of the flower people. Just super beautiful and creepy

[@tisdue]

I really didnt like this movie. I dont understand the hype. It had creepy moments but thats it.

[@74bhounds]

@@tisdue booo different opinion. boo! All good man different strokes for different folks

[@jenblood3082]

I didn't know that annihilation was also a physics term. That makes the idea of the shimmer so much cooler.

[@zwick6890]

Your description of the film as “too realistically unrealistic” is spot on. I love the way this film slowly gets under your skin. The music is incredible as well.

[@octoprzar]

The sound design and effects throughout the movie give me chills, the alien sounds when they get to the bottom of the lighthouse are so unreal.

[@skyhunter996]

I enjoyed the lighthouse scene and music so much.

[@noahlamrock]

The sound track in this film is unmatched 🙌

[@DisappointingPorn]

There was something so terrifying and tragically…I don’t know, blasphemous about Sheppard’s final cries for help living in the skull bear’s vocal folds. It felt like a hideous mockery, a defilement. I loved it.

[@nylpurfi9896]

Right! It made me horrified enough to scream then I remembered how it might be my voice it uses next. Creepy as hell

[@everythingdivine]

Probably how God feels abt scientists playing with His creations

[@imbombur]

@@everythingdivine nerd

[@klocke5247]

@@everythingdivine Spoiler. Santa Claus isn't real.

[@VulKus117]

Especially since poor Sheppard seemed like a caring person who’d suffered a lot and retained her humanity. The fact she was so undeserving of such a cruel and unimaginably horrific fate, arguably worse than death, adds to the impact. Despite one of the most common complaints with this movie being the lacking characters, which I agree with to an extent, I genuinely felt sadness and pity when she died.

[@viljamtheninja]

Loved this movie, as a perfect example of true Lovecraftian cosmic horror: the horror of not understanding anything about the nature of what you're facing or what it wants. Most supernatural/alien horror movies depict the aliens as having some kind of scientifically comprehensible biological nature whose drives are predatory, or its ghosts or demons as beings whose drives are essentially based in human mythology and on human emotions. Demons possessing the souls of human beings or whatever still on some level understand the concept of humans and they are based on our world. The... thing... in Annihilation truly felt alien. As in, stemming from a completely different physical and mental world, with entirely different conceptions. Arrival is the only comparison I can think of that felt genuinely alien.

[@assdan27]

And throughout the movie, the realization that this alien doesn't have intention is what makes me love the alien so much. The enveloping of Earth seems to just be a stage in this cosmic organism's life cycle. It has no intention to cause harm, destroying planets just seems to be part of this thing's life cycle.

[@Bhatt_Hole]

Needed more Cthulhu.

[@ryancarroll2886]

@@Bhatt_Hole nope

[@Sci-Fi_Freak_YT]

I love this film so much, aside from The Thing this is one of the best Cosmic Horror films I have ever seen.

[@Royal_Fortune]

@@assdan27 I'd argue its not "destroying" anything. Its transmuting it; altering its state/composition into something other. In fact, a lot of what happens to things or people transmuted is influenced mainly by themselves. A lot of the mentality of the characters is reflected in the final outcomes the shimmer has on/with them. In other words, ones internal state (with help from the shimmer) gains more influence leading to their external state better reflecting the internal. It's hauntingly beautiful and refreshing from a narrative standpoint! I think the best way to describe the shimmer is that it's less of an alien and more of a catalyst. Just like in chemical reactions, it allows reactions that otherwise wouldn't to happen with a little push and the rest does its thing until the reaction is complete.

[@nowaht]

I'm glad this film is getting some shine. I feel it is grossly underappreciated

[@Nama-stay143]

I read the whole Trilogy after watching it.. and it was an amazing experience..the book is even better imo.

[@maxcharlier4389]

@@Nama-stay143 I'm still working through book three. I love everything so far. Fair to say, while differences abound, the movie manages to capture how the books feel?

[@Thesavagesouls]

It's wasn't good plus it's a roadside pickinick and stalker ripoff.

[@HeinousAnusOG]

I don’t know, I love cosmic horror but this didn’t feel like it really went anywhere Kinda like ambiguity for the sake of ambiguity in my mind

[@nowaht]

@@HeinousAnusOG I really appreciated that it didn't devolve into a "standard" ending where everything is wrapped in a neat package, where there's some deathstar mission they needed to complete to blow up the badguy and clearly win. Remember the movie Sunshine? I feel like that movie fell into that Hollywood trap. We had a very non-stupid movie that turned the last 20 minutes into a predictable boilerplate ending we've seen time and again. Annihilation took the risk of not living up to people's expectations of what a movie like this is "supposed" to be and it likely lost some fans because of it. I'm not saying it was the best movie, but I hold a lot of respect for it for breaking the mold within big budget confines.

[@lmfao1798]

Annihilation is one of the fine examples of a cosmic horror

[@InTrancedState]

One of the only ones that truly works. Color out of space was also good but this is the pinnacle so fsr

[@fogman900]

@@InTrancedState do you read sutter kane?

[@drewbazzell389]

@sly dankass they’re literally not stoic soldiers, they’re all scientists. All of their own personal issues is what makes some of the character drama and the progression so captivating. Also look at the soldiers that went before them, they probably started as stoic soldiers then lost their minds because of the absurdity of the shimmer.

[@drewbazzell389]

@sly dankass honestly the only character that really annoyed me in the movie was Gina Rodriguez’s Anya. I understand what they were trying to do with her repressing her fear, however I think her character specifically often came across as annoying and immersion breaking. However, the rest of them I wouldn’t necessarily liken to a sorority camping trip. I think there are moments of levity between the women that is clearly their own attempt to mask their fear and uncertainty, but I think for the most part the movie handles the dread, confusion, and slow descent into insanity the characters feel pretty well. I don’t completely disagree with you, I have my own problems with the film and those characters. But I feel like your criticism is a bit hyperbolic. To reply to your other comment, I wouldn’t call that a writing mistake. Just because something is not directly spelled out, does not mean it’s an oversight. Some details are just unnecessary to explicitly state. The lead scientist Ventress directly says they had only sent soldiers before, and that they wanted to try the scientists to try approaching it with a different mindset. Also the story they chose to tell is not the story of those soldiers, so even more so how they approached it is not a necessary detail. Even within the context and perspective of the story, the characters wouldn’t know how the soldiers started out because they never returned. Revealing anything about the soldiers outside of the video the scientists find would just detract from the suspense and horror rather than add to it So I wouldn’t call it a mistake.

[@ShouinGN]

​@sly dankass @Drew Bazzell A film with everyone behaving stoicly would bore most of us and would seem unrealistic in many ways. How many times have you participated in some type of group event where the participants seem to be totally different in temperment and/or at least one of them behaves in a way that drives you up the wall? Then, you could say they "pulled you out of" enjoying the event, but it's not uncommon, unrealistic, or unheard of to have this experience play out in reality, so why is it a problem with writing/casting/creative choice when it plays out in fiction? Having it happen in a movie may annoy you, but should it be counted as a fault with the film, or recognized as the viewer's hangup? Whether the inability to detach, to not take it personally and/or accept that this is just who the caharcter is written to be in the film's reality? How many people do you know in reality that you wish you could re-write/re-cast? Plus, they were all going through some pychological... unwinding, of sorts. They each have different baggage to spill. There have been many experiments conducted over previous decades where soldiers were administered mind-altering substances and the results weren't dissimilar from some of the psychological effects depicted in this film. As for it seeming like a sorority camping trip, apparently, you've got some strong prejudices about how people behave in specific settings. Would a Westpoint sorority behave this way on a camping trip? From my understanding, some sororities are quite draconian in their standards and discipline, but whatever. The world is messy, and even well trained professionals have been known to create fraternity/sorority type environments. Look no further than the military/police for evidence of this. Add psychosis and watch the fun unfold.

[@FieryFlamingFajitas]

If you haven't read the books, I highly recommend. It explains a lot more than the movie does, but in a roundabout way. Once you realise what caused it, where it came from etc, it's such a massive headspin. And what happens to the biologist is haunting as well

[@RachelAnnPotter]

Jeff VanderMeer has one hell of an imagination

[@peperika7845]

I didn’t even know there were novels sounds super cool!

[@RachelAnnPotter]

@@peperika7845 The Southern Reach trilogy is reallllly good. I'd recommend reading/listening to them.

[@SebHaarfagre]

@@RachelAnnPotter I don't read much books really, but I might give all of these a go! I really enjoy this movie for what it does. And I've already hundreds upon hundreds of SCP articles

[@RachelAnnPotter]

@@SebHaarfagre the audiobooks were great!

[@pdzombie1906]

Annihilation is a contemporary "The Thing", a scif-fi horror masterpiece overlooked now, but later will gain a cult status and will be studied and appreciated. Great video!!! Thanx!!

[@jackle7896]

That sounds about right

[@jamesaitchison9478]

John Carpenter's Apocalypse Trilogy - The Thing, The Prince Of Darkness and In The Mouth Of Madness - deals with 'Body Corruption' in the same style but different manner to Alex Garland's 'Body Corruption Trilogy' - 28 Days Later, EX Machina and Annihilation. I'd also add David Cronenburg's Body Horror Movies in the mix too - Shivers, Rabid, Scanners and Videodrome - the themes are evident throughout all of these Movies but dealt with in entirely unique ways. The Lovecraftian Cosmic Horror is there too of course. Alex Garland has (probably) been inspired by all of these great artists and added his own flavour to rework the Body Horror Genre for the modern generation. Awesome.

[@nomojo1110]

I love the concept. _Annihilation_ is most often implied at a dominant species' planetary level. This film however, focuses on _annihilation_ at an atomic level. A rearranging of matter that leaves nothing as it was. An exploratory spacefaring civilisation will find _no evidence_ that we ever existed and I find that rather terrifying.

[@RachelAnnPotter]

The books are great imo

[@nomojo1110]

@@RachelAnnPotter I'll look'em up and have a read. My wife also enjoyed the film so she'll quite likely read them too. Cheers for the recommendation :)

[@RachelAnnPotter]

@@nomojo1110 yay! Some people online find his writing style to be too abstract and prose'y, but I love the creative worlds he creates. Fingers crossed that you and the wife like the books! 😁

[@mochi-vn3jg]

I thought it would be an another interesting sci-fi movie, and turned out It’s one of the scariest movies. The scene where she plays the recorded video in the light house was so intense..

[@RachelAnnPotter]

I recommend reading the books.

[@ellefitz2094]

The point about how it feels like the audience is watching/following them in some scenes is really interesting, because during the entire movie, particularly the bear and lighthouse parts, it feels like you’re being watched. For me the feeling of being watched or having something behind me during the lighthouse scenes was so visceral it was terrifying, like the darkness around me and the light around Lena could have contained any number of horrors beyond comprehension lol. And just the inevitable feeling of something about to crawl out of that hole still gives me the shivers

[@siobhan_is_on]

The bear scene is honestly one of the scariest scenes in cinema. Like I still think about it and get these full body chills and gut wrenching anxiety. Plus both the physical and sound design are horrifying. 10/10

[@Padopoulosman]

Honestly, it is, to be honest.

[@siobhan_is_on]

@@Padopoulosman LOL oops

[@Padopoulosman]

@@siobhan_is_on haha happens to the best of us

[@lua8501]

i saw the movie when it came out and thinking about that scene still messes with me

[@siobhan_is_on]

@@lua8501 same!

[@nothinmulch]

This movie literally gave me a panic attack. It's oppressive atmosphere, especially in the lighthouse, made me want to crawl out of my own skin. Will never watch again but it's an incredible film!

[@ninahocking5709]

I watch it over and over! I find it incredibly relaxing and soothing. I skip the last act though and just playback from the start again! X

[@smellycat57]

@@ninahocking5709 Same. It's hauntingly beautiful. So much so, I can't get over it. It always looms in my mind.

[@lalaskii7814]

@@smellycat57 I'm still confused after watching the film.. like what's that ending about?

[@takeuchi5760]

​@@lalaskii7814 that's the point man, I watched it years ago, still couldn't tell you what it was about, but I can write 5 paragraphs about how the movie made me feel. Which has literally never happened to me, most of the times when I don't get a book, or any story, I chalk it upto the writer's inability and/or my inattention, but this time, I did not understand a lick of this movie, still it's in my top 5 easy.

[@lalaskii7814]

@@takeuchi5760 idk but feel what? Feel like wasting my time for me. The plotting is vague, I personally don't like that type of movie but I watch some because they're good and meaningful...

[@marianne2529]

I think the thing that will stick with me the most about this movie is how I watched it, entranced by the alien and it's oscillating patterns, then showing up to a lecture at university the next day to find the same patten on the lecturers screen. It's called the Mandelbrot patten and even though I can barely remember that class, that pattern stayed with me - all because it had seemed so alien but turned out to be completely rooted in reality and science. Love this movie!

[@NoMoreCrumbs]

Annihilation feels like the realization of The Zone as described in the Strugatsky brothers' Roadside Picnic. It's a place that cannot be meaningfully understood, only speculated about. Both places change you in ways that are at first subtle, but always permanent

[@beinggayontheinternet1570]

I’ve always associated Annihilation with Stalker

[@DeNeSGeri]

Well, the book (by van der Meer) feels a lot like the author wanted to jump around the same idea but in a different way. I recommend it, not a great book, but a pretty interesting writing style and choice.

[@xendranara7121]

@@DeNeSGeri I found the book to be much better than the movie. Though the trilogy does struggle at the last book but Annihilation the book was an amazing feat in exploration fiction and it didn’t reduce the main character as just a wife and went deeper into her personal struggle with going on the trip.

[@DeNeSGeri]

@@xendranara7121 The translation to Hungarian was awful, I must admit that. And the characters created were pretty bold and interesting. But it sometimes it tried too hard to be mysterious for my taste and that pulled me out over and over again. That is just an opinion, I should have declared that as such.

[@thom1218]

At the end, the intense, gripping, and unique sound track played a major role for me in significantly heightening the effectiveness of the movie's ability to create a sustained and gripping suspense as the fractal like alien mutations unfolded all around in the lighthouse scene. The score during that part of the movie really should be called out.

[@peperika7845]

Ikr I agree it reminds me now a lot of Hans Zimmers Dune score, he wanted it to truly be sci-fi and unreal. Watching that end scene that music definitely made me hold my breath

[@raidermaxx2324]

i think the sound track in this movie doesnt get as much love as it should.. its kinda what i think about when i think of this movie. here is something for ya... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHTYc5SiftmNd5o

[@r_bear]

I saw this in theaters and the "VWUMMA, VWUMMA, VWUMM. BWWOOOOOW" was vibrating the speakers so hard that you could hear them almost breaking. It Ruled

[@eriktempelman2097]

When I watched it, I thought it was great. But after seeing this analysis I can safely update my judgement: this movie is a masterpiece. Thanks.

[@OccupiedMuffins]

We need WAY more cosmic horror, it’s such an interesting type of horror. Even bad cosmic horror is still interesting as hell

[@playedout148]

People see themselves, their friends and family, and humanity in general as being too important for cosmic horror to have any mass appeal.

[@Jobe-13]

Cosmic horror can be very disturbing and uncanny if done properly. Specifically, one of my favorite cosmic horrors are the characters of the Lich and Golb from Adventure Time. Even if its a kids show, I think it pulls off cosmic horror very well.

[@voidboi95]

“Before there was time, before there was anything... there was nothing.” “And before there was nothing... there were monsters.”

[@flamingmanure]

for anyone thats interested, Annihilation is hugely influenced by hp lovecraft's color out of space novel, lovecraft is also the inventor of cosmic horror.

[@bout3fiddy]

I saw this film while in a very dark place in my life and somehow, it did not frighten me. I found it beautiful and moving. When a certain character chooses to become one with the flora, I wept. I wished I could be her. I'm in a different place now but I haven't seen the film since. Something about the longing it brought out on me is unique, and I don't want to touch on that ever again. I think I'm fine with that.

[@paddyq3235]

Bestie, with all the love in the world, you need therapy.

[@user-kb6mj7zq8t]

Makes sense.

[@TorTor323]

I remember watching this with my wife, she had fallen asleep after a long day while watching and when the movie ended she woke up and said I looked completely stunned. This movie is wild, now I gotta watch it again… wait how long have I been here?

[@ryancarroll2886]

Love stories like that.

[@kikkiq13]

Same thing happened with me and my boyfriend!

[@ffffff52]

ahhh this is one of my absolutely favourite movies, Alex Garland methodical composition of this movie and the entire audio-visual experience ended up being one of the cornerstones of my artistic development, it may not have been a successful movie or accurate adaptation but I relly hope someone that cares still gives Garland another chance to create like this.

[@rotisseriepossum]

I heard he just came out with a new movie called ‘Men.’ Judging by the trailers, I think I have good news for you

[@TheAgentmigs]

I love the "frame within a frame" technique because it has a slight voyeuristic feel to it.

[@DekkarJr]

yeah you get the feeling they think they are totally alone like we're looking almost through a wall rather than through a doorway to a kitchen

[@TempehLiberation]

“The effect of this cannot be understood without being there. The beauty of it cannot be understood, either, and when you see beauty in desolation it changes something inside you. Desolation tries to colonize you.” ― Jeff VanderMeer, Annihilation

[@lilscenechick1995]

Brings to mind the scene where Lena sees the refracted deer moving in sync with one another...like twins, two divided cells, a perfect reflection of one another.

[@samlusby4576]

The movie as a whole is one of my favorites, but what I think really sets this movie over the top is the soundtrack especially towards the end. The soundtrack with the alien is the most unsettling and beautiful compositions I've ever heard. Its really otherworldy.

[@y1k3ss]

FINALLYYYYYYYYY THE RECOGNITION THAT ANNIHILATION DESERVES. just wanna point out that in the movie its obvious that lena is the one who survived in the lighthouse but in the book it was never explicitly said who survived or emerged from the lighthouse.

[@Karin_Allen]

I take it you didn't read Authority and Acceptance. 😉 I love the whole trilogy with all my heart, but it's not for everyone, and a lot of my friends really disliked Authority and dropped the series. That's a shame, but I get it, so I'll leave some spoiler space and then explain what happened to the biologist (who was never named in the trilogy) after the conclusion of the novel Annihilation. She stayed in Area X because she hoped to find her real husband, and her doppelganger returned to the outside world. The doppelganger didn't know she was a duplicate at first, but she eventually worked it out. She developed a unique personality and became an important character in her own right, calling herself "Ghost Bird." In Acceptance she went back into Area X with some other important characters and was a key factor in the outcome. I won't spoiler the story any further out of respect for Jeff Vandermeer, the author; but I'll say that the original biologist probably did find her husband, although he'd been transformed and she couldn't be 100% sure it was him. Then, by the time Ghost Bird and the others went into Area X, the biologist had transformed too. I hope this is enough to entice you and/or some others who read this post to check out Authority and Acceptance. 🙂

[@caitlin_barb]

But we don't know if it was Lena that survived or not. Because in the movie, the person we believe to be Lena is the one telling the story to staff. So she may have not said what actually happened. What makes her so different from the others and her husband that her own mind was scrambled?

[@Karin_Allen]

@@caitlin_barb If you're talking about the movie rather than the novel, I'd say Lena's genes have been scrambled a bit just by being in the infected area; so it's the "real" her coming out, but she's no longer the person she used to be. That's why her eyes glow for a second. It does look to me as if her doppelganger burned itself/herself to death, so only Lena could return.

[@redghost5705]

Even in the movie Lena is always framed from the left when shes with her husband. The movie closes with her hugging her husband in a split frame and they are both on the right with the left frame empty. Lena may have left the shimmer but she didn't leave it alone. Its in her eyes and the emptiness of the left frame implies the Alien is now 'in' her or she has permanently changed and absorbed/mimicked the alien in much the same way as it was doing to her. Either way I assumed the Lena that went into the shimmer is gone and the one that came out is an entirely different one.

[@gagasgrande]

terri joe and annihilation stans UNITE

[@PunkdRebel]

It honestly immediately became one of my favorite movies, genuinely. I cannot begin to describe this film to people, the way it makes you feel, the cosmic unknown horrors and the ideas in this film are some of the most unique I have seen, I absolutely fell in love with it all. Not to mention the sound track is just phenomenal!

[@ijemand5672]

Damn girl are you single?

[@ZephinorYT]

@@ijemand5672 🤨📸

[@ijemand5672]

@@ZephinorYT mind your own business

[@skonataofawakening]

After devouring many of VanderMeer's books, 'realistically unrealistic' is the most perfect description I have heard for them. Both the movie and the trilogy paint such a vibrant worlds that run parallel to each other, each telling their own distinct story and message. Though I prefer the books a bit more, the visuals in the movie are hauntingly stunning, neither should be slept on. Cheers on another amazing video

[@RachelAnnPotter]

The books are soooo good. His writing is so creative and bizarre.

[@sydposting]

Annihilation is a film I point to as a perfect *tonal* adaptation of a book. It might not be identical in plot or setting, but the writing, direction, sound design -- all of it came together to somehow perfectly recreate what I *felt* when I was reading the book. It's an emotion I can only describe as "Awe" - a vulnerable respect for the beauty and horror and incomprehensible logic of the natural world, completely untethered from human morality or judgment. The treatment of the Sandworms in Dune (2021) is my closest point of comparison, and that's meant to be high praise for both films here.

[@grxntdraws9209]

Something amazing about Annihilation is that both the book and the movie are phenomenal stand alone pieces of media. There are a lot of differences between the two, but they both manage to be incredibly compelling and thrilling. For anyone who enjoyed the movie, I HIGHLY recommend giving the book a try because it's fairly short and it also has some of the most beautiful writing I've seen in a novel.

[@gojifan05]

the whole trilogy is awesome. first novels that ive ever read and theyre sooo good. they give you so much to think about and be scared of

[@grxntdraws9209]

Every time I want to highlight good character writing, I come back to the swimming pool scene in Annhilation. There is something so grounding and real about how Vandermeer sets up the biologist's character in this scene. He effectively tells us everything we need to know about her personality through her fixation on an overgrown swimming pool@@gojifan05

[@litneyloxan]

This movie’s symbolic meaning, that ending scene specifically, stayed with me after watching it. It disturbed me like Event Horizon disturbed me, but I also felt sorrow during the ending the 2nd and 3rd times viewing over the years after understanding it better

[@Traumwandler]

Basically, the ending isn't as interesting as the way to get there. Alex Garland asks many philosophical questions throughout the film. If humans are genetically designed to age and die, then they may also harbor a psychological self-destructive instinct. As a biologist, Lena knows that human matter decays and forms new matter and organisms. This is the cycle of nature. However, there are not only good cells, there are also malignant ones such as cancer cells that attack a healthy organism. Psychologist dr Ventress applies this theory to psychology. Just as everyone potentially carries cancer, there is a dark part of our consciousness that draws us toward death. Everyone destroys themselves in their own way, whether it's through drugs, impulsive behavior, or unhealthy lifestyle habits. Accordingly, women stand for different reactions to illness and death. Lena stands for denial. She walks through life like a sleepwalker. Instead of fighting out her marital problems with her husband, she starts an affair with her colleague. When her husband is gone, she isolates herself from her surroundings and shows hardly any emotions. She is the least smitten of all women by the shimmer and keeps her cool most of the time. In the end, Lena no longer knows who she is. Despite touching the shimmer, she has not experienced any real enlightenment. Cass (Tuva Novotny) could represent fear and feelings of powerlessness. She is kidnapped by the "bear" right at the beginning and doesn't even get a chance to fight. Anya (Gina Rodriguez) represents anger and negotiation. She becomes aggressive as the shimmer transforms her. Shortly before her death, Anya offers the other women as sacrifices so that the Shimmer will spare them. Josie (Tessa Thompson) stands for resignation and self-abandonment. She has a depressed nature and doesn't have the strength to fight the glimmer. Josie gives in to the mutation and becomes part of the landscape. Finally, there is Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who has cancer and has already accepted her death. Before that, she wants to get to the core of the shimmer and get to the bottom of her own nature. We'll probably never know if she did it. In the end, "Annihilation" is about the question of whether life and death can be so strictly separated from one another. Life becomes a temptation in which we go through different forms and changes until there is nothing left of our old selves. Whether this is a beautiful or a terrible thing, everyone can decide for themselves.

[@Fuzzysea693]

The movie isn’t called Extinction, it’s Annihilation.

[@threadkillers]

Fantastic analysis

[@Littleprinceleon]

"...decides for themselves": 😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@AM-uk3vm]

Interesting but I see it more as an exploration of how people cope with pain and trauma. Each of the main character suffered some previous trauma that lead them here and each one dies in a way that is also a way someone confronts trauma and grief. Quite acceptance, lashing out at others etc. And our main character, though alive, is still changed. Mimicking how even when you get through it your pain still leaves you different than before

[@YoshiManden]

While I wasn't even aware of the frame within a frame cinematography, it still hit me when she stepped into the hole in the lighthouse, suddenly she was stepping out of the frame. A visual boundary I had gotten used to was broken and I think it's safe to say that's when everything merged together in a way.

[@VeritabIlIti]

While I still think that Garland's interpretation of the film as a cancer metaphor is the closest we're going to get to a "directorial intent," this interpretation is brilliant and relevant. That's perhaps what makes Garland's best films so spellbinding: they exist and have dozens of interpretations and ways to tear them apart that all can coexist. The cinematography attention is also much appreciated

[@jerryschramm4399]

Went to see this, was absolutely stunned and amazed. Read up on interpretations of the meaning online, then went to see it again the next night. A mind twisting, beautifully realized work of art. This and "Ex Machina" are both stellar movies. But both underperformed at the box office. Meanwhile, nonsense like the latest Jurassic Park ripoff rake in millions. No wonder we can't have nice things.

[@zacharylopez8362]

Ex Machina quickly took a top 3 in my favorite sci-fi movies. It’s freakin perfect.

[@theguywhoasked2520]

The Mutant bear will always be the most upsetting thing for me in all horror films, but rather because of the fact it's just so horrifying!! Like, imagine being stuck in a room with that damned thing?!!?

[@lilscenechick1995]

I don't often get truly scared by horror films...however, that scene had my eyes tearing up. When the camera shifted to Josie's perspective of looking directly face to face with the bear, I felt like I was sitting in the chair facing that thing.

[@capricorn6234]

The book is also sooo good in the way that it is just unsettling. The main character is somehow so raw and imperfect. Has the same vibe to it as the book "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem.

[@shminghong]

Unreal narration of such a wild movie. Always loving your content Spikima!!

[@hillaryheath220]

The lighthouse copy scene made me so unnerved. It was absolutely terrifying so they nailed that. I’m not a huge fan of this movie but I’ll give it credit where it’s due

[@shellee888]

I thank you for this analysis. I have rewatched this movie umpteen times so that I could understand why it’s liked. All of a sudden last week I fell in love with the movie and the story. Thanks for all your hard work! Thanks for recommending Mother. Thank you!

[@skywithguns4467]

I’ve always felt like the bear was a mixture of the woman and the bear. They have become a single entity, primarily acting as an apex predator but with the feelings of the woman fuse within. I feel like she’s inside, in some form, truly wanting help.

[@sydposting]

Adding another comment for the sole purpose of praising the script and style of this video. 🤗 Spikima, the quality of your work is *exceptional* and I sincerely hope that your attention to detail for color, light, and pacing in film writing/editing is recognized by more people in the future!

[@ryandempsey4830]

Annihilation had great reviews when it came out and was talked about a lot. It wasn't a box office hit but it was never going to be and wasn't supposed to be. It was as successful as could be hoped.

[@Ulysses-oe4ed]

Spikima uploaded AND it's about annihilation. My week is looking up

[@Stephanie-rn7ry]

This is one of my favourite movies so thank you for covering it. It’s so good in a subtle way.

[@arctic8597]

I had no idea what this film was about before watching and boy was I terrified. It has that essence of not being able to look away, something clicks in your head making you peel your eyes open. I was genuinely horrified by the….. thing…. I didn’t sleep for days, it was too unnatural and different to constantly think about. Seriously one of the most chilling films I’ve seen imo. I also was much younger when I watched this and films now don’t have the same effect with age…. except this one…. it haunts me everytime.

[@loganwelty7094]

Spikima, your videos are works of art themselves, and your introspection with cinema is fascinating to learn from. Annihilation is one of my favorite films. It affected my soul and emotions in a ways I’m still unpacking years later. A true cosmic horror masterpiece.

[@FaiaHalo]

You captured this beautiful movie's atmosphere PERFECTLY. Thank you so much!

[@Chevrium]

It's nice to see another good video essay about Annihilation, especially about the cinematography which is especially good in this movie. I'd also recommend "Annihilation and Decoding Metaphor" by Folding Ideas for anybody who hasn't seen it. It changed how I looked at movies like this forever.

[@mistyminnie5922]

thank you!

[@haledunt7165]

such a good video! love folding ideas so much

[@gracehadler9351]

If you want even another one, watch annihilation: surrendering to creation by acolytes of horror!

[@navieight]

I still remember watching this movie for the first time, and being intrigued by it before it was released. I was sitting on my couch, completely engrossed by everything and with so many questions. Movies don’t do that enough right now, leave you in awe with it’s beauty and lost in its wonder. This is my number one sci-fi horror film, at one point i was watching it once a month, and then listening to the soundtrack just puts me back in the atmosphere of this film. I could go on and on… Thanks for making this video and all of your videos. One of the best creators out there.

[@seraphik]

that four note DAHHH DAH DAH DAHHH motif when the alien finally appears... it lives rent free in my head

[@stevenashmore4522]

I read the book first, and after watching and loving the film, I read it again. Both film and book are excellent examples of taking the human and twisting it into something thoroughly 'other'.

[@CatDaddyLurk]

Beautiful Terror is definitely a great way to describe this film. Great video

[@jaroneller1525]

the lighthouse scene terrified me to no end when i first watched it. then the second time around i was sure that "hey, you know what's coming now, it cant be *that* bad". it had the exact same effect on me. i cannot even describe what elicited that kind of horror in particular, i just know no other film has ever made me feel this way. it was akin to the most horrific nightmare you've ever had, the kind of terror that lingers in the back of your mind but evades you when you try to enunciate it. i dont know. im just very glad that i wasnt alone in this feeling. excellent video, i enjoyed it a lot

[@user-lv3bf3hg7w]

I'm thankful for this channel. I don't just love and be inspired by the content, it's a reference for my thesis even.

[@silkcatgirl3597]

The quality of your videos are top class, thank you for making them and sharing them with us ❤️

[@SpikimaMovies]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@Chubbywubbysandwich]

Oooh spikima I love your videos!! Thanks for the awesome content!!! Annihilation is my favorite scifi horror too

[@mcbeaniee4775]

the one thing i love about these types of videos is that they make such detailed analysies of the movie without giving away the story of the film at all. Sure, there are snippets of information given but I would still have to watch the movie all the way through to completely understand the implication of the explanation you were making. Very well done

[@jompa1554]

In a rough spot mentally right now and this video brought me some peace of mind, thank you.

[@j.zuberi]

One of my fav Cosmic Horror films of all time. So well written and directed, shot. everything beautiful & ethereal and horrifying of the most accurate depiction of an alien life form consuming without...motive.

[@TheWindii]

Yees! A new Spikima Video about a movie I love :D This might be a good day after all!

[@Eli-akad]

Everytime I watch a video about this movie it makes me want to go back and rewatch it

[@tylerrichardson9380]

Absolutely AMAZING video essay! Wonderfully written and expertly executed.

[@Advent3546]

I spent all weekend indulging in almost everything Alex Garland: Sunshine, Ex Machina, Devs, Men, the whole nine yards. The timing of this video could not have been better for me and I thank you for that

[@xeroeddie]

Funny if you saw the movie "The While Nine Yards" as a companion piece to this one and other sci-fi horror like it. 😉

[@lincthomas7178]

he NEVER did the whole nine yards, thats a comedy directed by Jonathan Lyn!!

[@xeroeddie]

@@lincthomas7178 I know 🙂. I was just pointing out that it would've been funny because that movie is so different. 😉

[@lincthomas7178]

@@xeroeddie what movie? the whole nine yards? alex isnt a comedy writer or director, so NONE of his stuff is funny..

[@lincthomas7178]

@@xeroeddie sunshine was good, ex machina was good, but annilhation sucked!!

[@sutton2582]

I just tell people if a movie is a good or not. Spikima has a such a beautiful and poetic way of breaking down the intricacies of these films. Excellent content my friend!

[@Guy_Lite]

The bear scene has to be the most creative aspect I've ever seen in a film

[@frankalfieri1677]

Wow this channel is amazing. You really know what you're talking about! I look forward to watching your catalog of videos.

[@tbxvividos]

great video. learned some things i didnt pick up on when watching the film myself. as someone who watches horror movies for entertainment, i find this and "Under the Skin" to be two of the most truly horrifying films ever made. the feeling of unease they both gave me is unmatched.

[@3RAN7ON]

Don't forget how amazing the music was in this movie, it really led to the creepy atmosphere

[@brasa8517]

Subscribed ever since I watched the video of the wailing, truly great content that made me appreciate movies more

[@480xxgeishaxx]

Really enjoyed you take on this film, great video sir.

[@meuley_23]

Annihilation is honestly one of the best movies ive ever seen. For almost the entire last act my mouth was just left wide open. 10/10 film

[@doorcharge0]

Annihilation is what got me into the cosmic horror genre in the first place, but that bear scene was and is still one of the single most horrifying things I've ever watched

[@joshwadsworth]

Fricking bravo dude, and one of the absolutely best movie video essay breakdowns I have ever seen.

[@cemeterydrive10]

An incredibly underrated film. I love everything about it, from the psychological terror it radiates to the soundtrack that perfectly captures the essence of a psychedelic trip. It’s beautiful and haunting. The characters don’t even seem as important to the story in my opinion, it’s the world around them, the setting they’re in that’s so captivating. The existential questions the film’s narrative brings are just as important as the visuals. I can ramble about this film for hours, I swear! So glad to see a good analysis of it :) well done

[@chloehandy3516]

I’m so flipping excited for this video rn the ad is playing but I always watch something when I get ready for bed at night and I always hope I’ll have a new one from this channel annihilation is my favorite movie of all time btw love John carpenter as well huge movie fan and I never tell anyone I love these videos so much I love to hear some one validate my thoughts and feelings about a movie!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@TravelingKen]

I would LOVE to see you do a video on Lamb! Personally, I found that movie to be one of the most beautifully shot films that I've ever watched, and it was counteracted with the bizarre story (even though it isn't actually that bizarre once your brain "clicks" and you understand the striking similarity between humans to animals and the films vice versa trick) and the horrific ending.

[@donhoolieo4896]

Great breakdown and you definitely taught me something new as a young filmmaker and photographer. Still so much to learn but I enjoy every step to make a masterpiece such as Annihilation.

[@kitspics526]

Loved this film. Watched 3 times, so far.

[@TheOnlyWAYtoStayHere]

Wow your excellent video make me wanna rewatch the movie. Great job man.

[@thefakecritic1377]

This is phenomenal!

[@kbeats5289]

I have to thank you for uploading this video. Because of it I watched the film itself. And... I was blown away by a rather interesting. Frightening and incredibly trippy experience!

[@castoputa]

The film and the books both have a uniquely sinister ambience that I thought impossible to articulate, but you’ve done it! Exquisite.

[@Len124]

While there are some elements from the trilogy I really miss, especially some of the bizarre hints at what Area X (what it's called in the novels) might actually be, the film captured the feel of it perfectly in my opinion. The veiled cosmic horror, more subtle than Lovecraft, and the sense that we're witnessing some broken trying to work itself out and reconcile its own nature or function with its surroundings.

[@andrewhirschi1026]

I’ve always guessed that the shimmer was some sort of alien terraforming device that wasn’t accidentally placed there

[@arisu3983]

Yooo a Spikima upload, waited for this for so long.

[@snaggytoothy]

I just bought and watched this on KZbin; I wouldn't have known this movie if it wasn't for your video. Thank you!

[@pratikmore6359]

I was waiting for this essay!...and you made it🎉

[@SpikimaMovies]

yay🎉

[@gokushkameha-ha-ha9344]

This movie feels like if a being from beyond actually came here But it also feels like psychological representation of mortality and the powerlessness against it

[@AxisCorpsRep]

one thing that i will always apreciate this movie for is the purposeful execution of the visuals, there's enough budget for the CGI elements to not look out of place, and they dont slack off in composition and variety of elements present within a shot, very much so a candidate for "every frame a painting" whereas in some other movies there's clearly periods of transition between the "important" shots, this is a complete package trough and trough

[@PedroLimaPTS]

This video is itself a piece of art. Congratulations mate.

[@bodiesatva]

A very nice film adaptation of an incredibly difficult book to visualize.

[@tr1pl3thr333]

Great video as usual. Annihilation is a film I couldn't say I loved on first viewing. Despite that, the final seen has really stuck with me for a long time. I'm not sure what exactly it means, or means to me personally, but I think I'd rather keep it that way.

[@shawa1939]

The music and the graphics of this movie are incredible. Purely amazing.

[@gregbone8149]

This is a very well narrated piece and I love how the points were made!

[@draigan2104]

love this movie and this video

[@FiremanDuval]

This film is genuinely one of my favourite of all time, and I feel like it’s so underrated

[@michaelford6972]

Thank you for talking about one of my most favorite films 🎥!

[@DefinitelyEllie]

The Annihilation movie may not be a good depiction of the book, but its a brilliant and amazing movie, a fracture of the book that tells a different story, a different theory, incredibly well.

[@alienteknology5390]

The air of menace as Natalie Portman & her team first enter Area X is some of the most subtle & ominous horror ever filmed. Everything seems normal but you just know something terrifying lurks beneath the surface.

[@GeoWhizzz]

One of the best films I’ve seen. And the MUSIC! The music is top notch and only makes the uncanny feel even more so. The sounds and rhythm also feel as if it has been mutated by the shimmer. The low hum representing the oppressive yet beautiful shimmer that slowly expands from the lighthouse.

[@popcornparker5390]

Such a great breakdown. Thanks so much for putting out your work!