Annihilation: Cosmic, Existential Horror (spoilers)

[Spacebastard]

I recently saw this film and I found it both compelling and frustrating for several reasons. It is a story about an extraterrestrial (or extra-dimensional) arrival on Earth and its consequences for human beings as we encounter something profoundly, extremely alien. In contrast to stories like Arrival (Story of your Life) or more cliched sci-fi first contact stories (Independence Day) the very nature of the aliens or their purpose is never fully revealed - there is no clear attempt to communicate with us or intentionally destroy us - only indifference like a viral infection or cancer.

This film is frustrating because of several plot holes and many cringey lines in the screenplay.

It is compelling because it channels a primordial fear of the unknown - the fear that our understanding of reality will break down and reveal that our place in the cosmos is just a flimsy veneer - ultimately we are at the whim of forces stirring beneath the surface that we cannot comprehend and there won’t be any final triumph of the human spirit or of rationality.

I have begun reading the book this movie was based on and so far I would recommend it. Did any of you see this or read the book and have thoughts about it? What else would you recommend for me?