https://www.cnet.com/news/annihilation-director-alex-garland-talks-ex-machina-sci-fi-ai-vr/ >With "Annihilation,"which opens in theaters in the US on Friday, he aims to take us on an even more mind-bending journey in a sci-fi fantasy laced with horror. This time, a crew of scientists led by biologist Lena (Natalie Portman) is on a quest to find the source of an unexplained alien phenomenon called "The Shimmer." Fans of Jeff VanderMeer's best-selling novel will note that the book and movie diverge. That's something Garland said he needed to do, partly because he likes "subverting" genres such as thrillers and sci-fi but also because he needed to take a completely different approach to bring his vision of VanderMeer's very "original" story to life.  >Sci-fi horror "Annihilation" follows a group of scientists who enter a mysterious quarantined zone where nature has mutated in unexpected ways.