Natalie Portman's Annihilation hailed as a 'masterpiece' in early reviews

Gina Rodrigues, Tessa Thompson, Tuva Novotny, Natalie Portman and Jennifer Jason Leigh star in Alex Garland's Annihilation. Photo / YouTube

Alex Garland's highly anticipated sci-fi thriller Annihilation has started screening for critics overseas, and early reviews are hailing the film as a winner.

The film has had a rocky road to release. Paramount Pictures sold the international distribution to Netflix after a producer was concerned the film was "too intellectual".

The deal means the Natalie Portman film will skip a cinema release in New Zealand and go straight to the streaming service.

But according to the reactions of critics, that's no comment on the film's quality. One reviewer hailed it as a "masterpiece".

"Annihilation is, in wholly inelegant terms, one hell of a mindf***," wrote IndieWire Film Editor Kate Erbland. "Most of the time, I didn't want it to end; occasionally, I was so unsettled I thought I might keel over."

"Make no mistake, #Annihilation is a new sci-fi classic," wrote journalist Drew Taylor. "Brilliant, thrilling, and provocative, it has as much metaphoric depth as it does narrative tension. I'm floored."

Slashfilm writer Ben Pearson agreed: "This is the type of sci-if we always say we want to see. Bold, challenging, singular, visually dazzling. Would not be the least bit surprised to see it hailed as a masterpiece (and it might actually be one)."

#Annihilation is big budget Alex Garland with all the head-spinning intelligence of "Ex Machina." It's violent and patient and then suddenly so transfixing you're pinned to your seat.

It'll take time to process. Another auteur studio gamble from Paramoint after "mother!"

— Zack Sharf (@ZSharf) February 8, 2018

Alex Garland’s #Annihilation is another example of the kind of brainy sci-fi we don’t see enough of. Badass female cast and a story that’s both beautiful and wickedly disturbing, and an ending you will talk about for days. Dug it so much pic.twitter.com/fW77z6xX4v

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) February 8, 2018

Alex Garland's #Annihilation is absolutely phenomenal. It's gorgeous and mesmerizing, with brilliant performances from the entire ensemble. It's a remarkable vision, and has a sequence so thrilling that I was left literally dizzy. It will be on my Top 10 of 2018 without question. pic.twitter.com/zGmDGlyh0M

— Eric Eisenberg Wears A Mask (@eeisenberg) February 8, 2018

Just saw #Annihilation, and damn, it’s gorgeous. Beautifully done, riveting and smart. Going to need to process this one for a while, and I want to see it again! pic.twitter.com/rFl5cnacon

— Jenna Busch (@JennaBusch) February 8, 2018

Annihilation, starring Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Gina Rodrigues, is being released on February 22 in the USA.

It is expected to be released on Netflix 17 days after.