Generally, I like adaptations that stay true to the source material; too often, it appears movie or tv writers don’t really understand the story they are adapting.

In case of Annihilation, I was quite underwhelmed by the source material and I am happy that the movie was only loosely based on the book.

One of the main problems with the book (besides desperately attempting to come across as intellectual) is that it is full of mystery but never resolves any of those riddles.

I won’t say that the movie takes you by the hand exactly, but it at the very least attempts to make sense. There is a lot of meaningless technobabble (or I guess I should say, biobabble), but that is part and parcel of a Hollywood sci-fi movie. But beyond that, there is some amount of logic and recurring themes.

I think my differing reviews of Vandermeer’s novel and its movie adaptation say a lot about me and how I enjoy my media: in the end, I need the story and the world to make sense. That does not mean that they are not allowed to be surreal or out there, but the questions need to have answers, the characters need arcs, and the story needs to come full circle. As much as I might think that a lot of what Hollywood produces is absolute slop, I am clearly a child of that style of storytelling.

Besides, the tried-and-tested Hollywood formula is reused for a reason: where the book never once got me invested in the characters, the movie managed to tug on my heartstrings at least a little. In particular, Oscar Isaac made the most out of the small role he had; I think Natalie Portman had her moments.

While improving on the plot, the movie adaptation of Annihilation maintains the sense of the surreal that the book has. Moreover, the movie removes a lot of cringe and adds a layer of beauty and visual impact that drew me in in a way that the book never did.

To be honest, the surreality of the setting meant that Annihilation never really worked for me as a horror movie. No chills down my spine, no goose bumps. But the ending, while perhaps just a little confusing, was grand enough to keep me watching and the final scene was satisfying.

Annihilation is no masterpiece. It is perhaps a little action-heavy and plot-focused for my liking, but it works and is worth watching.