So Australia Really Loves ‘Annihilation’, The Movie We Weren’t Allowed To See In The Cinema
It's a shame we couldn't watch it on the big screen.
Annihilation, the hotly anticipated and somewhat controversial sci-fi horror from director Alex Garland, has dropped on Netflix Australia. And, surprise, people are absolutely losing their shit for it!
That’s a tad awkward for film studio Paramount, because they deemed the movie “too complicated” and “too intellectual” to get a cinema release in Australia. Annihilation was on the big screen in only three countries — the USA, Canada and China — and was released on the streaming service internationally.
There’s a whole yarn about why this happened, but in the end it meant Australia had to settle for the little screen.
It unfortunately looks like Paramount’s fears were somewhat justified, as the film only raked in 11 million in the USA at the box office on its opening weekend, despite the rave reviews. (It was up against Black Panther though).
Annihilation is a great film and it’s got an absolutely stellar cast in Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Oscar Isaac. Alex Garland directed Ex Machina, as well as screenwriting for 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go and Dredd.
Oh the irony of Americans telling the rest of the world to see 'Annihilation' in a cinema (we can't) while most Americans chose not to see it in cinema (they can)
— Cameron Williams (@MrCamW) March 12, 2018
This day can’t go fast enough so I can get home and watch Annihilation on Netflix (I mean I’d rather it were in the cinema but hey) pic.twitter.com/WesTO9EdXG
— Steven (@Steven_Armour) March 12, 2018
It’s all the ingredients for a goddamn winner of a movie, and Australia at least seems to be lapping it up on Netflix.
People seem to be praising the incredible performances of the female-led cast in particular, as well as the lush, weird visuals:
ANNIHILATION ????
Dreamy eerie psychedelic sci fi. Utterly compelling…
Wish I could have seen it at the cinema pic.twitter.com/yTsw0MTHdX— Jack Cheshire (@CheshireJack) March 12, 2018
Can’t believe @AnnihilationMov isn’t getting a theatrical release in Australia. Hope everyone checks it out on Netflix anyway and shows the studio that they made a big mistake not backing a smart, thought-provoking female-led sci-fi film. #Annihilation #womeninfilm
— daniellepratt (@danielleapratt) March 7, 2018
Absolutely loved #Annihilation. My thoughts about the film are pretty simple, I wish I could have relished in those visuals on the big screen but totally get why Paramount pushed it to Netflix. Also just read this https://t.co/pSTRungSd2 via @MrCamW
— mat whitehead (@matwhi) March 12, 2018
Annihilation is so insanely good. Watch it immediately.
— Will Southers (@shoerust) March 12, 2018
Gina Rodriguez was great in Annihilation. She’s amazing in Jane the Virgin too. More of her in everything pls.
— Omar Sakr (@OmarjSakr) March 5, 2018
I watched Annihilation tonight on Netflix, as I live in Australia. I really liked it. Haven’t read the book, so I didn’t know what to expect, but it was quite the trip. The ladies were excellent.
— James Fergin (@jlfergin) March 12, 2018
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Annihilation is currently streaming on Netflix Australia.