Annihilation is a 2018 science fiction psychological horror film written and directed by Alex Garland, based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Jeff VanderMeer. The movie stars Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, and Oscar Isaac. The story follows a group of explorers who enter "The Shimmer", a mysterious quarantined zone of mutating plants and animals caused by an alien presence).

The movie is largely metaphorical and is meant to put the viewer in the same dreamlike state as the characters, offering explanations for what’s happening, but also never announcing its themes as it tries to weave subtext into the text. According to Garland, the movie is about "self-destruction" and on a metaphysical level, it certainly has that. Ventress and Lena even have a conversation saying how self-destruction and suicide aren’t the same thing. However, the premise of Garland’s movie is basically, “What if the Earth—that is, the planet itself—got cancer?” .

The Shimmer is an alien force that mutates, refracts, and combines DNA from cells, creating entirely new entities. Though they initially believe it to be a force of destruction, Lena discovers that it actually creates something new by breaking down.

Annihilation received positive reviews from critics and audiences, and grossed $43 million worldwide. It addresses "depression, grief, and the human propensity for self-destruction").