[Nicolai P. Zwar]

Alex Garland is an interesting writer. I very much enjoyed his semi-autobiographical novel THE BEACH (and also the Danny Boyle film), which is the only book by him I’ve read, and the excellent horror shocker 28 DAYS LATER (also directed by Boyle).
His first two movies as a director were “science-fiction” movies, and I say “science-fiction”… they were extrapolating scientific ideas and concepts, like the more literary tradition of “science fiction” of such magazines such as ANALOG and ASIMOV’S.
They were EX MACHINA a tight, character driven concept thriller, and ANNIHILATION, a creepy monster shocker with highly disturbing images, a sort of “H.P. Lovecraft meets THE THING as directed by David Cronenberg”. Both are strong, “real” science-fiction movies I’ll never forget, and more of the “adult” type of science-fiction. Haven’t yet seen MEN (though that sounds quite interesting) and CIVIL WAR, but Alex Garland is an author/filmmaker who’s doing some very interesting work.