Annihilation released in 2018 with only a brief run in theaters. Despite earning positive reviews, the film did poorly at the box office and has continued to be overlooked by audiences ever since. Starring Natalie Portman, the sci-fi movie blended elements of action films, thrillers, and horror, along with hauntingly beautiful and bizarre visuals to produce a unique experience that deserves more attention than it received. Fans who were fortunate enough to check it out were likely struck by its brilliant writing and performances, as well as its message about illness and grief.
Sickness, death, and coping with loss are all explored in Annihilation through an approach that is simultaneously sad, terrifying, and comforting. While many viewers and critics picked up on these elements, however, few noticed just how deep these themes were embedded in the story. A close examination of the characters reveals that they all, in fact, represent different stages of grief according to the well-known Kübler-Ross model. Under this model, people facing death move through five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance. In Annihilation, each member of the team that enters the Shimmer comes to embody a different one of these stages.
The Shimmer Spreads Like Cancer, Eliciting the Five Stages of Grief
While there isn’t a true villain or antagonist in Annihilation, the Shimmer is practically a character itself, overshadowing everything else in the film and, at times, appearing to have a will of its own. Growing out of a meteorite that struck the Earth three years earlier, it confounds researchers as it continues to expand and envelop more territory. In its sudden appearance and uncontrollable growth, this Shimmer seems to represent disease, and cancer in particular.
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Consuming everything in its path as it mindlessly grows and mutates, the Shimmer immediately sparks fear among those studying it. Little understood, it seems to absorb everything it touches and, from the beginning of the movie, appears to pose a threat to all life on earth. Like Cancer, it appears to feed on life itself, changing it in ways that result in death for its victims. Each character that enters the Shimmer, seeking a way to stop it, is soon forced to confront their own mortality and comes to represent a different stage in the classic (though controversial) model for explaining grief.
Cassie Dies First Only to Return Later
Cassie Represents Denial
Paramount Pictures
Fittingly, the first character to perish also represents the first stage of grief, denial. A geomorphologist studying the landscape of the environment within the Shimmer, Cassie is attacked and killed early by a terrifying, mutated bear, being dragged off into the forest. Her demise is horrifying in itself, but it’s what comes after that truly shocks her companions and viewers, and speaks to her place in the stages of grief.
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While Cassie dies before she has a chance to really contemplate the danger she’s in or express any elements of grief, the later return of the mutant-bear, and her voice coming from its mouth, is almost a symbolic form of denial. Her voice echoing from the creature that killed her seems to indicate that the Shimmer “refracted” some part of her into it, and she has not completely died. Her voice, seeming to scream in fear and pain, seems to deny her fate, desperately rejecting the fact that she has died at all. While her body has certainly perished, some piece of her refuses to accept that and clings to existence within the bear, making her a disembodied embodiment of denial.
Anya Lashes out at her comrades
Anya Represents Anger
Paramount Pictures
The easiest connection to make in Annihilation’s analogy of grief is Anya’s reflection of anger. Faced with the shocking truth of the Shimmer and the possibility that she will die, or else change to the point where she is no longer herself, Anya transforms her fear into rage and lashes out at those around her. Showing how those suffering or in pain can sometimes become their own worst enemies and harm the very people who are trying to help them, Anya nearly kills the rest of her team before dying herself.
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Anya is another example of a character dying in the same order as the stage of grief they represent. As anger, according to the model, comes after denial, Anya is killed after Cassie, by a creature that has partially absorbed Cassie. After this, however, the stages of grief appear to be shaken up by Annihilation, with characters reflecting the different stages perishing out of order or surviving until the end of the story.
Lena Is Constantly Making Deals
Lena Represents Bargaining
Image via Paramount Pictures
Intriguingly, the film’s protagonist does not represent the final stage of grief. Instead, Lena seems to embody bargaining throughout Annihilation. The cellular biologist and Army veteran finds herself negotiating with others throughout the film. When first seized by the government and questioned about her husband’s return from the Shimmer, she tries to bargain for information and ultimately makes a deal that involves her going into the Shimmer herself. While in the Shimmer, she urges other characters to continue on with their journey multiple times, seeming to conclude deals with them.
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Further, in a more accurate depiction of the sort of bargaining that occurs in the stages of grief theory, Lena appears to bargain with herself during her adventure. Committed to completing her mission and reaching the lighthouse, she seems convinced that doing so will somehow save Kane. She appears to bemotivated by this hope and has subconsciously reached a deal with fate that, if she does her job, she won’t have to face the loss of her husband.
Ventress Succumbs to Despair
Ventress Represents Depression
Paramount Pictures
Ventress, the leader of the team and the character who is literally suffering with Cancer in Annihilation, plainly represents depression by the end of her story. During their journey, Ventress abandons her group and moves on alone, isolating herself from others. Speaking to the loneliness of depression and the tendency to self-destructively withdraw from friends and family, she succumbs to sadness, both about the Shimmer and her illness, and finds herself alone.
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When Lena eventually finds Ventress, the former leader has plainly lost all hope. Seeming to exude emotional agony, Ventress talks about the Shimmer in apocalyptic terms, claiming that it will continue to expand and eventually destroy the world. When she finally meets her end, it is literally in a black pit that reflects her inner turmoil. She dies, not having accepted her fate, but seeming to have simply lost the will to carry on.
Only Josie Finds Peace
Josie Represents Acceptance
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Of the entire team, only Josie the physicist seems to find any beauty in the Shimmer, and only she seems to come to an end that could be described as peaceful. It’s Josie who first comes to understand the Shimmer, deducing that it refracts the DNA of creatures inside, changing them into new beings, and accepting that it will happen to her as well. In her final conversation with Lena, she reflects on the pain and fear that Cassie was in when she died and explains that she doesn’t want to go out the same way.
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Regarding the shimmer, she tells Lena that “Ventress wants to face it, you want to fight it, but I don’t think I want either of those things.” With this dying declaration, Josie explicitly moves beyond both bargaining and depression, indicating that she wants to simply accept the Shimmer and what it will do to her. As she wanders off, Josie seems to transform into a flowering bush, becoming something beautiful even as she passes. Her refusal to fight her fate, her peaceful demeanor, and her noble end all speak to her acceptance of the Shimmer and her own death.
In many ways, Annihilation is a horror movie about fear itself. It explores death and how people respond to it. Through characters that personify the stages of grief, the movie examines both the positive and destructive ways people confront their own morality and the terror that arises from it. These elements, along with its amazing visuals and performances, make Annihilation a great sci-fi horror movie, worthy of more attention than it received.
In 2013, the sci-fi film “Elysium” hit theaters to mixed reviews and modest box office success. Despite its lukewarm reception, this underrated gem holds a deep hidden message that many fans may have missed.
Directed by Neill Blomkamp, “Elysium” takes place in a dystopian future where the wealthy live on a luxurious space station called Elysium, while the rest of humanity struggles to survive on an overpopulated and polluted Earth. The film follows Max (played by Matt Damon), a former convict who is determined to reach Elysium in order to access life-saving medical treatment.
While the film’s action-packed sequences and stunning visual effects may have captured audiences’ attention, the true heart of “Elysium” lies in its commentary on class inequality, healthcare access, and the consequences of unchecked corporate power. Through the stark contrast between the opulence of Elysium and the poverty on Earth, Blomkamp delivers a powerful message about the social and economic disparities that exist in our world today.
By shining a light on these pressing issues, “Elysium” challenges viewers to think critically about the systems of privilege and oppression that shape our society. It serves as a reminder that the choices we make today can have far-reaching consequences for future generations, and that it is up to us to fight for a more just and equitable world.
So, if you’re looking for a sci-fi film that offers more than just thrills and entertainment, give “Elysium” a second look. You may just discover a hidden message that resonates with you long after the credits roll.
Western shows are one of the most popular genres on streaming services, but it can often be quite difficult to do them well, especially in their more modern iterations. Classic Western movies, like many of those starring John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, paired well with the original great Western shows, like Gunsmoke, Bonanza, or The Lone Ranger. Now, a new revival of the Western genre has become increasingly popular over the last decade. As a result, streaming services like Netflix and Paramount+ are eager to add exciting new titles to the mix.
Unsurprisingly, there have been some great modern Westerns released recently, and several of them are thanks to Taylor Sheridan. Sheridan’s series Yellowstone can be seen as one of the first shows to really capitalize on the revitalization of the Western genre, and in many ways directly influenced all the Western shows that have come since. Not only was Yellowstone itself a success, but Sheridan also expanded the show’s universe by creating spin-off shows. It is this success for Paramount+ that services like Netflix are chasing through shows like its recent addition, American Primeval.
American Primeval Gives Netflix The Huge Western Series It Wanted
The Series Has Become Massively Popular With Audiences
Immediately following its January 2025 release, American Primeval has become one of Netflix’s most popular shows to date, and certainly its most popular Western. The series centers on the competition for land and power among several groups during the Utah War in the 1850s. While some of the characters and the plot points are fictional, many of the events that happen in the show and the people who play a big role in them were real people involved in the foundation of Utah, making the series even more interesting.
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What makes American Primeval work so well is precisely its ability to blend American history with fictional characters that audiences can’t help but root for. The show also does not shy away from the real horrors of the time, presenting Utah as an often violent and dark place. Though the series only holds a moderate 67% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences enjoyed American Primeval much more, as is evident from its 88% approval rating and appearance on Netflix’s top charts. Its success could point to Netflix pushing for more Westerns in the future as well.
Godless Is Still Netflix’s Best Western TV Show, 8 Years Later
Godless Is An Even More Impressive Western Than Netflix’s Successor
Though American Primeval is now the most popular of Netflix’s Western shows, the streaming service actually released an even better Western eight years ago. The series Godless premiered on Netflix in November 2017, and it was met with critical acclaim. While American Primeval‘s reviews are not bad by any means, Godless‘s reviews are overwhelmingly positive. The series currently holds an 83% critics approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and it was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards and won three.
Compared to many Western shows where the women characters often feel like second thoughts, Godless shines because of its large cast of complex female characters.
The series takes place in 1884 in New Mexico when an outlaw, Roy, decides to rebel against his former boss because his violence has gone too far. Roy arrives in a town called La Belle, which creates an interesting and unusual divergence from normal Westerns because the town is almost exclusively made up of women. Compared to many Western shows where the women characters often feel like second thoughts, Godless shines because of its large cast of complex female characters. Beyond the great performances, the series’ plot is well-paced and perfectly self-contained.
Netflix Is Still Missing Something When It Comes To Westerns
The Streaming Service Still Needs A Long Running Western Show
Despite Godless‘s critical acclaim and American Primeval‘s success with audiences, Netflix has still not managed to find the same success with its Westerns as Paramount+ has with those of Taylor Sheridan. The biggest problem with the service’s current Westerns is that they don’t have any multi-year shows and little potential for spin-offs, which is no easy feat to begin with. While American Primeval could return for another season given its popularity, the deaths of many characters would make it challenging and the next season could still be several years away.
Series
RT Critics
RT Audiences
American Primeval
67%
88%
Godless
83%
85%
Yellowstone
83%
76%
American Primeval‘s ending saw many of the most popular characters die, and many of those that remained alive were cast out onto the road again. While it could be possible to regrow the cast around the remaining characters, it does seem like the show was meant to conclude its story after one season. Instead, it seems more likely that Netflix will learn from the audience demand for more shows like American Primeval and work to develop a Western series with further potential for the show’s plot and characters to extend beyond one season, much to the delight of Western fans.
If you’re a fan of Netflix’s new hit western series, it’s time to take a trip down memory lane and revisit one of the streamer’s underrated gems from 8 years ago. While the new show may be making waves globally, it’s important not to forget about the older series that has a far better Rotten Tomatoes score.
Netflix’s new western series has been receiving rave reviews and praise from audiences all over the world. With its captivating storyline, well-developed characters, and stunning cinematography, it’s no surprise that the show has become a huge hit.
However, while the new series is getting all the attention, it’s worth noting that there is another western series on Netflix that deserves some love. Released 8 years ago, this show may not have had the same level of hype as the new series, but it has managed to maintain a solid Rotten Tomatoes score that surpasses its newer counterpart.
So, if you’re looking for a new show to binge-watch and want to explore the world of westerns on Netflix, don’t forget to check out this hidden gem from 8 years ago. Who knows, you may just find your new favorite series that has been flying under the radar all this time.
An Amber Alert was issued late Friday night for a boy missing from Aransas Pass.
Officials say 8-year-old Patrick Killian is missing. He has blue eyes, blonde hair with black glasses. He is 4-feet tall and weighs 50 pounds.
The suspect is Jeffery Harris, 41. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He his 5-feet-nine-inches tall and weighs 215 pounds.
Law enforcement says the suspect vehicle is as silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Texas license plat VDK4474.
Killian was last seen in the 2600 block of Armstrong Road in Aransas Pass at noon on Friday.
Details of the alleged abduction were not provided.
If seen, call 911 or the Aransas County Sheriff’s Office at 361-729-2222.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY CROSSROADS TODAY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
The Aransas Pass Police Department has issued an Amber Alert for an 8-year-old boy who was reportedly abducted from his home. The boy, named Jacob Smith, was last seen wearing a red shirt and blue jeans.
Authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating Jacob and the suspect, who is described as a white male in his 30s with a beard, driving a black sedan. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Aransas Pass Police Department immediately.
Please share this post to help bring Jacob home safely. Let’s all work together to ensure his safe return. #AmberAlert #AransasPass #Crime #MissingChild
Officials from DPS say Killian was last seen at the 2600 Block of Armstrong Road in Aransas Pass, Texas, at noon on Jan 17, 2025.
Jeffery Harris is believed to be in a silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra with TX license plate VDK447K.
Texas DPS
If you see Harris, Killian, or their vehicle, call 911. If you have information on Harris, contact the Aransas County Sheriff’s Department at 361-729-2222.
It is with great relief and gratitude that we announce the discontinuation of the AMBER ALERT for the 8-year-old boy from Aransas Pass. The child has been found safe and is now in the care of authorities. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who shared the information and helped in the search efforts. Your support and vigilance played a crucial role in ensuring the safe return of this child. Thank you for coming together as a community in times of need. Let’s continue to look out for one another and keep our children safe. #AmberAlertResolved #CommunityUnity
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AMBER ALERT, Aransas Pass, 8-year-old boy, missing child, discontinued alert, search efforts, community support
An 8-year-old boy has been abducted from Aransas Pass, according to an AMBER Alert issued Friday night.
The alert said Jeffery Harris, 41, is suspected of abducting the child, Patrick Killian. Harris’ vehicle is a silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Texas license plate VDK4474.
Killian was last seen around noon on Friday in the 2600 block of Armstrong Road in Aransas Pass, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Anyone with information about the abduction should call 911 or the Aransas County Sheriff’s Office at 361-729-2222.
AMBER Alert issued for missing 8-year-old from Aransas Pass
Authorities have issued an AMBER Alert for a missing 8-year-old boy from Aransas Pass, Texas. The boy, named Ethan, was last seen playing in his front yard yesterday afternoon. He was wearing a red shirt and blue shorts at the time of his disappearance.
Police are asking for the public’s help in locating Ethan and bringing him home safely. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact local law enforcement immediately.
Please share this post and keep an eye out for any signs of Ethan in the Aransas Pass area. Let’s work together to bring him back to his family. #BringEthanHome #AMBERAlert.
(KWTX) – An Amber Alert has been issued for missing 8-year-old Patrick Killian out of Aransas Pass, Texas.
Patrick was last seen on Jan. 17 at around noon in the 2600 block of Armstrong Road in Aransas Pass.
He is described by authorities as a 4-foot-tall white boy wearing black-framed glasses with blonde hair and blue eyes who weighs about 50 pounds.
Patrick was last seen Jeffery Harris, who’s described by authorities as a 41-year-old white man with brown hair, blue eyes and weighs about 215 pounds.
Authorities say the suspect vehicle is a silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Texas license plate number VDK4474.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Aransas County Sheriff’s Office at 361-729-2222.
Copyright 2025 KWTX. All rights reserved.
Amber Alert issued for missing 8-year-old out of Aransas Pass, Texas
Authorities in Aransas Pass, Texas have issued an Amber Alert for a missing 8-year-old boy. The boy, named Tyler Johnson, was last seen at his home on Monday evening.
Tyler is described as being 4 feet tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans.
Anyone with information on Tyler’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Aransas Pass Police Department at (361) 758-5224. Please help bring Tyler home safely.
Law enforcement says the suspect vehicle is as silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Texas license plat VDK447K.
HOUSTON — An Amber Alert was issued late Friday night for a boy missing from Arnasas Pass, Texas.
Officials say 8-year-old Patrick Killian is missing. He has blue eyes, blonde hair with black glasses. He is 4-feet tall and weighs 50 pounds.
The suspect is Jeffery Harris, 41. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He his 5-feet-nine-inches tall and weighs 215 pounds.
Law enforcement says the suspect vehicle is as silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Texas license plat VDK447K.
Killian was last seen in the 2600 block of Armstrong Road in Arnasas Pass at noon on Friday. Arnasas Pass is three hours southwest of Houston near Corpus Christi.
The alert was issued at 10:25 p.m.
Details of the alleged abduction were not provided.
If seen, call 911. The Aransas County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation. The office can be reached at 361-729-2222.
AMBER Alert: 8-year-old boy missing from Aransas Pass, Texas
Authorities in Aransas Pass, Texas have issued an AMBER Alert for an 8-year-old boy who has gone missing. The boy, named James Smith, was last seen playing in his front yard on Main Street around 3:00 PM yesterday.
James is described as being 4 feet tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a red t-shirt and blue shorts. He may be in the company of a man in his 30s, driving a silver sedan.
If you have any information on James’ whereabouts, please contact the Aransas Pass Police Department immediately at 555-555-5555. Please share this post to help bring James home safely. #BringJamesHome #AMBERAlert.
What is the criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts? (Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)
An AMBER Alert has been issued for 8-year-old Patrick Killian, who was taken from Aransas Pass, Texas. Authorities are searching for 41-year-old Jeffery Harris in connection with the abduction.
Harris is believed to be driving a silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Texas license plate VDK447K. Anyone with information is asked to call the Aransas Pass Police Department at 361-729-2222.
If you see the vehicle or have any details, please call 9-1-1.
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Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.
Authorities in Aransas Pass are searching for an 8-year-old boy who has gone missing, with a suspect believed to be on the run.
The boy, named Alex Rodriguez, was last seen playing in the park near his home on Saturday afternoon. His family reported him missing when he did not return home for dinner.
Police have identified a suspect in the case, a man named Carlos Martinez, who is believed to have taken the boy. Martinez is described as a Hispanic male in his mid-30s, with a tattoo of a star on his neck.
Authorities are urging anyone with information on the whereabouts of Alex Rodriguez or Carlos Martinez to come forward. The community is asked to be on the lookout and report any suspicious activity to the police.
Please help spread the word and bring this missing child home safely.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — An AMBER Alert has been released for 8-year-old Patrick Killian who is said to be abducted out of Aransas Pass.
According to the alert, the suspect is 48-year-old Jeffery Harris. He was last seen in a Silver 2016 Hyundai Elantra with Texas license plate VDK447K.
Anyone with information is urged to call (361) 729-2222.
This is a developing story stay with 3NEWS for updates.
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AMBER ALERT: 8-year-old boy reported missing out of Aransas Pass
Authorities in Aransas Pass have issued an AMBER ALERT for an 8-year-old boy who has been reported missing. The boy, named Alex, was last seen playing outside his home on Main Street around 3:00 pm yesterday.
He is described as being 4 feet tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a red shirt and blue jeans.
If you have any information about Alex’s whereabouts, please contact the Aransas Pass Police Department immediately at 555-555-5555.
Please share this post to help spread the word and bring Alex home safely. Thank you.
