Alex Garland blew audiences away in 2014 with his directorial debut “Ex Machina,” a film argued to be the best sci-fi film of the year. The same argument will likely resurface with his sophomore feature “Annihilation,” released on February 23.

A bold, unique entry into the sci-fi genre based on the first book in Jeff Vandermeer’s “Southern Reach” trilogy, “Annihilation” takes audiences on a frightening, philosophical and intellectually stimulating journey. Fans of Vandermeer’s work are advised to enter the film with an open mind, as Garland’s vision is a very loose adaptation of the source material.

The film’s opening weekend grossed just over $11 million at the domestic box office, which could bode ill for Paramount considering this film sported a $40 million production budget, according to Box Office Mojo.

Natalie Portman stars as Lena, an army veteran turned biologist who volunteers to join a top-secret government research assignment into the Shimmer, a bizarre phenomenon manifesting on the coast of Florida. Originating from an unidentified object from space, the Shimmer bears the appearance of a giant soap bubble whose continuous expansion poses a significant threat to the planet. Anything that enters the Shimmer has never returned. Lena and her team not only seek to discover the source and purpose of the Shimmer, but also what fate befell those who entered before them.

Portman is supported by a well-rounded ensemble cast consisting of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson and Tuva Novotny, all of whom play well-developed and unique characters. Benedict Wong and Oscar Isaac also play important supporting roles, despite having very limited screen time.

The visual components of the film are astounding. The lighting, cinematography, CGI and vibrant colors give the Shimmer a distinct other-worldly feel. Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow deliver a fantastic musical score that elevates the film with its insidious and unnatural tones.

Perhaps the film’s greatest weakness is the framing device it utilizes, in which Lena relays information about her journey to Wong’s character, Lomax. We learn which members of Lena’s team die before we are even introduced to them on screen, resulting in a significant robbery of suspense and loss of tension.

Despite being marketed as a thriller filled with jump scares and horrific imagery, the film offers much more beneath the surface. The narrative explores deep and thought-provoking matters, such as what it means to be human, in addition to exploring self-destructive tendencies, which we as humans so frequently partake in.

The film’s ending leaves room for interpretation and places resolution in the imagination of the viewer. Fans of similar deeply layered sci-fi films like “Arrival,” “Ex Machina” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” will love this film, while the more casual audiences may not share such enjoyment.

“Annihilation” is a highly ambitious, yet welcome and unique entry in the sci-fi genre. Paramount may have feared the film would be too complicated and intellectual for general audiences, so they took a risk by selling the international rights to Netflix, leaving only the United States, Canada and China with theatrical releases.

If the film performs well enough at the limited box office release, there’s potential for adaptations of the rest of Vandermeer’s trilogy. Garland, however, has no intention of converting any sequels; not only has he not read the other books in the trilogy, the script for his film was finished before the second book’s publication. Regardless, “Annihilation” stands up perfectly well on its own, proving to be a visual and intellectual treat for those willing to indulge.