Double Review: Annihilation & A Wrinkle in Time

What we have are a pretentious pair of science fiction proportions. Both involve the protagonist traveling in alien territory to discover what happened to their loved ones who came before them. A great director, an interesting premise, a good cast, and awesome trailers, it has the making of an excellent sci-fi adventure. I'm not expecting the next Star Wars but something that makes it re-watchable. Alas, this is not that day.

In an episode of SpongeBob called  "SpongeBob LongPants," the titular sponge is accepted into a high-class society and invite him to the movies. The film they watch is The Table, in which the following conversation happens.

Still shot of me watching Phantom Thread and Annihilation.  

SpongeBob: I don't get it. We have been staring at this table for three hours. That table could use a cleaning.
Squidward: SHH! Some people are trying to enjoy le cinema.
SpongeBob: Oh! Hey Squidward! Hey, do you understand what this movie is about?
Squidward: Nobody does, it's art, now sit down!

SpongeBob then laments on how he could be watching the new Mermaid Man & Barnacle Boy movie playing next door, which is what I felt when watching Annihilation. In the same manner Blade Runner 2049, Interstellar, and Arrival, this is a movie trying to be the next 2001: A Space Odyssey. Writer and director Alec Garland, already achieved that with Ex Machina; that film was marvelously provocative, but with Annihilation, it's just provocative. If that was the goal, it achieved it well.

A wax-like alien mist called "The Shimmer" has descended on a remote location. Lena (Natalie Portman) a biologist, is sent with a team of scientists to investigate. Her husband Kane (Oscar Issac) had previously explored the shimmer with a special ops squad but were never heard of again. About a year later, an amnesiac Kane emerged as the only survivor.

Padme looked more fierce. 

The premise eerily sounds from Shyamalan's bad sci-fi collection, only this time given the Kubrick touch. The function of the shimmer echoes The Happening and After Earth with Mother Nature being the true villain evolving wildlife and vegetation to kill all humans. A problem some had with Signs, was the anti-climatic reveal of the aliens and their intentions. I get the theme that not everything has a meaning and we won't always find clear answers but the trip was so sluggish that I was napping during the first hour. There is a scary scene when the group are trapped in an dark abandoned shack with a creature using a horrifying method to lure it's prey. You will either find Annihilation very fascinating or just plain infuriating.

Alien, animal and plant life going hostile with humanity. Where have I seen that?
 Final Verdict: C-

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I never read the book by Madeleine L'Engle and would the movie have been better if I read it? Who knows. Perhaps the book is better, because what I saw onscreen failed to impress me what made the book so special to warrant a movie treatment.

Calvin, Charles Wallace and Meg

When Meg Murry (Stormy Reid) gets a visit from three mysterious women-Mrs. Whattsit (Reese Witherspoon), Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling) and Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey)-they bring news that her missing father, Dr. Alex Murry (Chris Pine) is alive. With the help of her intellectual little brother Charles Wallace (Deric McCabe) and new friend Calvin (Levi Miller) she must journey beyond time and space to bring her father home before a dark entity known as the "It" consumes them.

"To your left are some first-time visitors arriving on Camazotz and on your right is the city of Tomorrowland!"
A wheat field located at their targeted destination only adds to the perplexing parallels.  

I want to get this out of my system and say A Wrinkle in Time is TOMMORROWLAND ALL OVER AGAIN! A forced message found in a Pure Flix movie that is constantly shoved in your face that any good intention it had comes off as preachy and tiresome. The world the movie creates is taken a back seat to characters neither interesting nor memorable. Any splendor is short-lived. The only advantage is the likable main lead Meg and the father and daughter bond between her and Dr, Murry. It is poignant in the first act and though it dwindles in the last half, Reid and Pine give a good effort. Calvin seems superfluous despite it being said that he is critical to the group but I can't remember when he proved useful other than to be the semi-love interest for Meg. The clunky dialogue they share, again sounds like it came from Shyamalan's script along with the enormous build-up leading to a disappointing pay-off. It doesn't help when Charles Wallace acts so much like Brit Robinson's know-it-all Casey Newton from Tommorowland. I was waiting for a Twilight Zone twist, or in this case a Shyamalan twist and my wish was almost granted.     

Got room for one more?

The three beings are basically a walking quirk, Whatsit is zealous and eccentric, Who speaks only in quotes, and Which is the stern leader. All they do is spout exposition, and make a desperate joke for the audience. As usual for such powerful beings when their advice or assistance is required, the plot yanks them away. As for the "It" monster, all that was missing was Pennywise the dancing clown. This "It" and Stephen King's "It" share the same power. Both feed on negative human emotion, take on different forms (one involving Michael Peña in the film's only good scene), flashing lights, and an other-worldly origin. King is aware of this, right?

You will take us seriously!
Final Verdict: (D)

I went in hoping to be the one person to like this movie but like Tommorowland (apologies for the repetition but the parallels are just AAAARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!) all potential is wasted for trying to be so many things that result's in a cluttered mess.