The Big Picture Annihilation is the haunting 2018 movie directed by Alex Garland which stars Natalie Portman, Oscar Isaac, Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Gina Rodriguez. It follows a group of scientists who are sent on a mission into an unknown "Shimmer," an unexplained phenomenon that materialized after a meteor struck the area, and has been expanding ever since.
Perhaps the most alarming yet inventive feature of Annihilation's bear is that it uncannily reproduces its last victim's dying screams. This is the most torturous of the bear's many threatening facets, reminding the grieving group of their friend Cassie's final moments. It prompts the deeply human instinct of fear by bringing to life someone's most humanly vulnerable moment, evoking one's own mortality.
In this scene, Lena, Josie, , and Dr. Ventress have been tied up by Anya for whom the traumatizing events have triggered paranoia. Thus, unable to defend themselves, they are totally vulnerable against the bear's ruthless might, making this one of the film's most terrifying moments. The shot where the bear positions itself face-to-face with Josie is a moment of incredible mounting tension, as she stares death right in the face.
What Is the Meaning Behind 'Annihilation's Bear? Not only can Annihilation's use of the demonic bear stimulate an instinctual part of ourselves, but it is also deeply existential. The bear's assimilation of Cassie's final outcry reflects a total annihilation of self, recalling the film's title. This theme is peppered throughout, as the various characters become irrevocably and intrinsically changed by the environment, which can also act as a metaphor for cancer.
The clinical way in which the bear produces a mechanical-sounding echo of Cassie's voice emulates the unrelenting power of the universe — and how little we can do to change it. Whether this be emblematic of chronic illness, life and death, or the forces of nature, the bear influences us to confront our most vulnerable fear — the threat of annihilation.