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Alex Garland is one of the most important voices in the sci-fi genre. He first gained fame as a novelist withThe Beachwhich was adapted into a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. His distinctive style led him to become a film writer in Hollywood where he formed a very successful collaboration with director Danny Boyle in films like28 Days Later, Sunshine,andNever Let Me Go.
Garland seamlessly segued into direction and helmed many critically acclaimed films that further proved that he was a master at the sci-fi genre. His latest filmCivil Warwhich is set to release on April 12th, already received a stupendous reception atSouth By Southwest.The director’s films though, have not always been comprehended by all audiences. For these viewers, here are three underrated Garland masterpieces that embody his unique nuances.
Three Alex Garland Films That Deserve A Viewing BeforeCivil War
1Ex- Machina
Few filmmakers are fortunate enough to see their debut films receiving massive praise. Alex Garland achieved this with 2014’sEx-Machinawhich was his first film as a director. The narrative which deals with a computer analyst caught in the web of AI after he becomes part of a scientific experiment, is even more relevant in the context of the world today.
Through the film, Garland also challenged viewers with various queries involving humans and machines by recreating the famous Turing Test on screen. The psychological thriller impressed critics and also earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for the filmmaker.
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More significantly, Garland managed to create a marvelous visual world that earned the film anOscar for Best Visual Effects. According to a report inCollider, theMenfilmmaker was inspired by pioneering producer George Lucas’THX-1138which dealt with similar themes way back in 1971.
Alex Garland’s 2022 filmMenwas one of the director’s most challenging and difficult projects to execute. To begin with, the filmmaker was experimenting with the sci-fi genre by bringing aspects of folk horror into the narrative.
The story follows a widowed woman played by Jessie Buckley who is haunted by visions of strange men who are all versions of one man played by Rory Kinnear. While the screenplay worked for a lot of people, there were also criticisms about certain themes in the film and the manner in which they were dealt with according toCollider.
As a result, many profound aspects that Garland was attempting to get across were definitely not mainstream, and therefore did not hit front and center. But the director’s thought process and vision for the narrative earned him and the film a lot of praise from discerning fans and critics.
3Annihilation
In 2018’sAnnihilation,Alex Garlandproved beyond doubt that he had a firm grip on the sci-fi genre in a way that none of his other contemporaries did. ThisNatalie Portmanstarrer follows a group of scientists who enter a mysterious zone with an alien presence that causes plants and animals to mutate.
This film saw Garland going deeper into the emotional aspects of human nature like loss and grief along with his trademark mastery of the visual medium. A report inColliderstated that theEx-Machinafilmmaker drew inspiration from modern masters like Stanley Kubrick and Andrew Tarkovsky through their respective works namely2001: A Space OdysseyandStalker.
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Annihilationshowcased Garland’s prowess as a writer and his flair for visualizing a narrative in his own unique way. The film worked even with audiences who were generally wary of the director’s complex thoughts as they related to the various human emotions that defined the story.
Ex-Machinais streaming on Max.
Menis streaming on Paramount+
Annihilationis streaming on Apple TV.
Sharanya Sankar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :1230
Sharanya Sankar, Writer for FandomwireHaving completed her Masters degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, Sharanya has a solid foundation in writing which is also one of her passions. She has worked previously with Book My show for a couple of years where she gained experience reviewing films and writing feature articles. Sharanya’s articles on film and pop culture have also been published on Film Companion, a popular film-based website. Apart from movies and pop culture, her interests include music and sports. She has contributed over 650 articles to Fandomwire so far.
