Annihilation
A grieving biologist enters a quarantined zone where alien transformation turns scientific exploration into a haunting confrontation with identity and self-destruction.
Overview
A haunting journey into the unknown where science meets the surreal.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Graphic
- eerie
- foreboding
- visceral
- late night viewing
- introspective movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's striking science fiction imagery, visceral genre thrills, ambitious themes, and willingness to sustain ambiguity.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The environmental zone mutates organisms while Lena confronts grief, depression, infidelity, and destructive behavior.
The Shimmer refracts light and DNA into colorful, uncanny forms, making natural beauty inseparable from threat.
The expedition's discoveries and the nature of the invading intelligence remain deliberately open to interpretation.
Lena, Ventress, Anya, Josie, and Cass form the central team entering the disaster zone.
Films like Annihilation, and why
The Thing
shared science fiction horror, ecological dread, and ambiguous alien presence
The Descent
shared psychologically intense expedition narrative, cosmic mystery, and body horror
Under the Skin
shared cerebral science fiction, transformation themes, and visually immersive alien environments
Arrival
shared philosophical extraterrestrial mystery, female-centered investigation, and unresolved interpretation
Movie Details
- Director
- Alex Garland
- Release Date
- 2018-02-22
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (9666)
Cast
- Natalie Portman
- Jennifer Jason Leigh
- Gina Rodriguez
- Tessa Thompson
- Tuva Novotny
- Oscar Isaac
- Benedict Wong
- Sonoya Mizuno
- David Gyasi
- John Schwab
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Annihilation about?
- A grieving biologist enters a quarantined zone where alien transformation turns scientific exploration into a haunting confrontation with identity and self-destruction.
- What is Annihilation like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Annihilation as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as dense.
- Is Annihilation violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Annihilation as graphic.
- What did critics think of Annihilation?
- Critics broadly praised the film's striking science fiction imagery, visceral genre thrills, ambitious themes, and willingness to sustain ambiguity.
- Which films are like Annihilation?
- Films with a similar feel include The Thing, The Descent, Under the Skin, and Arrival.
- How long is Annihilation?
- Annihilation runs 115 minutes.
- Where can I watch Annihilation?
- In United States, Annihilation streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
