steven-crozier

I am a big fan of alien "invasion" movies that don't feature bug-eyed ET's with ray guns confronting the military might of the world -- Annihilation and Arrival are among my favorites for this reason.

Animalia is firmly in this camp -- a gentle, meditative film that uses the backdrop of the deliberately vague and non-specific arrival of an extraterrestrial presence on Earth to make some truly poignant commentary on class, gender, religion, and the nature of reality. This movie unfolds slowly and is more interested in philosophy and metaphysics than special effects. Pace your expectations accordingly and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Although the production values are very high and the SFX are done well, what I enjoy most about this series is that it focuses primarily (and very interestingly) on the relationships between the characters, with an emphasis on romantic relationships. In so doing, it pushes the boundaries of gender relationships in atypical ways for this genre (for example, in Part One the lead male character becomes the disciple of the lead female character). Women have very central and powerful roles in this series, a break with tradition which I very much enjoy. The acting is also first-rate. Highly recommended.