Annihilation: An Allegory For Cancer

Written by Lingges Baskaran

Annihilation, despite its title, is not just about annihilating; instead, it is about transforming. The premise of the film is that, for some alien reason, a particular region has become "The Shimmer," a place where everything constantly merges and transforms. Inside the Shimmer, we see unbelievable things: humans turn into plants, plants turn into animals, some animals undergo completely unrelated evolutions, and even some body parts gain their own life. On paper, this should be disgusting, but somehow the visuals of these terrible things look very beautiful, and that’s the key to this film’s success. It’s an unnerving movie due to its beauty.

It’s almost like how cancer works on a person’s body. Firstly, the Shimmer is a rapidly expanding zone that changes everything within it, mirroring the way cancer cells grow uncontrollably, spreading and altering healthy tissues. Next is the mutation and transformation. Inside the Shimmer, life forms mutate and blend in unpredictable ways, akin to how cancer mutates cells, causing them to function abnormally. Finally, the body's betrayal: the characters' bodies and minds start to change as they stay longer in the Shimmer, reflecting how cancer patients feel betrayed by their bodies as the disease progresses. Simply put, the Shimmer is a cancer cell on the earth’s body.

The story begins when a group is sent on an expedition into the Shimmer, and they all perish. Following that, the government sends another group, consisting entirely of women, to explore the place. There were five members in this team, starting with Dr. Ventress, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Dr. Ventress is a psychologist leading the expedition into the Shimmer. She is driven by cold, scientific curiosity and her terminal illness, which happens to be cancer. Despite being tragic, it is poetic.

Ventress is depicted as detached and clinical, but her determination to reach the lighthouse reveals a deeper desperation to understand the Shimmer before her death. She represents the final stage of cancer, where acceptance kicks in. Ventress’s ultimate transformation into an energy form symbolizes the final stage of cancer, where the body succumbs, but there is also a metaphysical continuation, reflecting the idea of energy or spirit moving beyond physical existence. Ventress embodies the pursuit of knowledge and the inevitability of mortality. Her transformation into pure energy at the end symbolizes the ultimate surrender to death.

Next is Josie Radek, played by Tessa Thompson. Josie is a physicist with a gentle demeanour, contrasting with the intensity of the Shimmer and the other characters. She is introspective and calm, providing a voice of reason within the group. However, she has her demons as well. She represents self-harm. Josie's history of self-harm can be interpreted as a coping mechanism for dealing with pain, similar to how patients might struggle with the psychological effects of cancer. Her final peaceful transformation into a plant-like form signifies an acceptance of her condition and a desire to find peace within it. Rather than fighting the changes brought by the Shimmer, Josie embraces them. This can be seen as an allegory for accepting one’s diagnosis and finding a way to coexist with the disease, rather than being destroyed by it.

Anya Thorensen, played by Gina Rodriguez, is another member of the team. Anya is a paramedic and former addict. Her brash and impulsive nature contrasts sharply with the other more introspective characters. Anya's descent into paranoia and fear reflects the anxiety and mental strain that cancer can impose on individuals. Her violent reaction and eventual death symbolize how untreated or unacknowledged fears can lead to destructive outcomes. Anya's resistance to the changes and her eventual breakdown can be seen as an allegory for how some people struggle to cope with the reality of cancer, leading to a destructive refusal to accept or understand their condition.

Cass Sheppard, played by Tuva Novotny, is another member of the team. Cass is an anthropologist dealing with the loss of her daughter. She is compassionate and motherly, offering support to her teammates. Cass represents loss and hope. Her background of losing her daughter mirrors the personal losses often experienced by those affected by cancer. Her early death in The Shimmer serves as a grim reminder of how cancer can abruptly take loved ones, regardless of hope or empathy. Cass’s compassionate nature and her early demise highlight the vulnerability of individuals facing a terminal illness.

It underscores how cancer can shatter even the most hopeful and supportive individuals.

Finally, our protagonist Lena, played by Natalie Portman, is also a member of the expedition team. Lena is a cellular biology professor and former soldier, driven by a personal mission to understand what happened to her husband, Kane. Lena had a great family life with her husband, Kane, who was played by Oscar Isaac. However, she cheats on him with her colleague, leading to a strain in their relationship. When Kane finds out about the affair, he volunteers to go into the Shimmer, knowing that his survival there will not be certain. All this guilt pushes Lena to take the job of exploring the Shimmer. This subplot adds a very important element to the ending of the film.

Lena's guilt and self-destructive tendencies can be seen as a metaphor for how cancer can cause internal turmoil, leading to self-reflection and change. Her battle with the alien entity represents the fight against the disease, both physically and psychologically. She represents mutation and survival. Just as cancer changes cells uncontrollably, Lena undergoes a profound transformation by the end of the film, raising questions about her identity and what has been altered within her.

In the Shimmer, there is the lighthouse, which acts like the nucleus of this cancer cell. And the resolution of this film happens inside this nucleus. We find out how Kane perishes and how some otherworldly being took his place inside the lighthouse. During the final battle, Lena confronts another otherworldly being who tries to copy her or mutate into her. As it imitates everything Lena does, she makes it hold a grenade, which explodes and destroys the Shimmer. In its quest to mutate into humans, the alien also inherits the most distinguished element of humanity, which is self-destruction. Lena’s whole character arc is about how she self-destructed her life, and now the alien being learns that from her, leading to its annihilation—pun very much intended.

The ending of the film is left open for interpretation. Despite blowing up the place, the alien that took Kane’s form is still alive, and when it finally meets Lena, her eyes glow, ending the film ambiguously. The ambiguous ending leaves viewers pondering the lasting impact of these transformations, much like the enduring uncertainties faced by those affected by cancer. Annihilation is not just a story of destruction but a testament to the resilience and complexity of life in the face of insurmountable odds.

Lingges Baskaran is a passionate amateur film critic/journalist.

"I believe making a film is like making a baby and raising it, so I see every creator as a parent who wants their child to be celebrated or at least not insulted. Therefore, I personally believe we can criticise a film but never hurt anyone's feelings with our work."