Director
Alex Garland
Leading Actors/Actresses
Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Oscaar Isaac and Benedict Wong
Genre
Science Fiction
Language
English
Awards
As of 7/9/2018: TBA
Date of Release
23 Feburary 2018
Producer
Scott Rudin, Andrew Macdonald, Allon Reich, and Eli Bush
Setting and Context
Earth/the Shimmer/the near future
Narrator and Point of View
From the point of view of narrator Lena, played by Natalie Portman
Tone and Mood
Brooding, Sci-fi, thrilling, horror, mind-bending, solemn, psychological, and visually arresting
Protagonist and Antagonist
Lena and her team vs. the Shimmer
Major Conflict
Lena and her team trying to understand and survive the inner-workings of the shimmer
Climax
In the lighthouse, when Lena meets the mimicker
Foreshadowing
The loss of functionality with the compass and watch foreshadow the group's loss of perception of time.
Lena finding her husband's dead body foreshadows the ending and provokes questions (is that the real Lena at the end of the film? Or is she a copy like the body of her husband which finds her at home?)
Lena's eyes foreshadow her change by the hand of the shimmer.
Understatement
The effect the shimmer has on humans is understated in the film.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
While exceptionally well-shot, this film is not innovative in lighting or camera techniques.
Allusions
Allusions to science, other films, mythology, religion, the bible, DNA, popular culture, architecture, history, and literature.
Paradox
The alien is supposed to mimic Portman's character, yet does not when trying to close the door on her so she cannot leave the lighthouse.
Parallelism
No significant instances of parallelism.
