We see this used to different effects in each of the films, but ultimately Garland utilizes isolation in order to amplify his character’s mental distress and compound on it through the panic and paranoia that ensue, forcing characters to an emotional breaking point that will resolve both the internal and external conflict.

The characters’ physical isolation only serves to magnify any pre-existing issues causing them to doubt themselves and the world around them. Though the stories and styles of each film can vary wildly, each sees their protagonists traveling to remote locales only to be faced with a growing sense of isolation and unease. Acclaimed director Alex Garland has made masterful use of isolation in his films from his debut with Ex Machina to his adaptation of Annihilation in 2018 to his most recent release, Men. It’s especially effective in thriller and horror content where fear and paranoia are paramount. Isolation is a tool used in many films across genres to invoke fear and paranoia in both the characters and the audience.