Arrival
Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker
Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Rated: PG-13
Alien invasion films aren't a rarity these days. They've become pretty predictable too. All you need are some hostile aliens preparing to attack earth and 2 hours of CG-heavy battle sequences and you've pretty much mastered the formula. If you really want to make the audience happy, make sure the humans are victorious and the aliens are stopped completely (until the inevitable sequel, of course).
Arrival is a different breed of sci-fi. Instead of focusing on explosions and violence, the film takes a cerebral approach to the genre. When aliens invade, the world begins to panic. The military hires linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) to translate their language and find out why they have come to earth. Mixing technical elements that echo Contact and artistic moments that feel reminiscent of The Tree of Life, director Denis Villeneuve has crafted a film I would describe as art house sci-fi.
Arrival is a slow burn thriller. Instead of focusing on defeating the aliens, the film asks an imperative question. Why have they come to earth? Since we don't know the answer for the majority of the runtime, the entire film has a tension that builds throughout. The alien introduction is one of the best sequences of 2016, in my opinion. You can feel the foreboding energy rising moment by moment as the team walks into completely unknown territory. What will happen? Will the aliens be friendly? What will they look like? Are they allergic to water like the aliens in Signs? So many questions. Adding on to the tension is the world's reaction to the aliens. Panic, mass hysteria, riots, and looting all take place due to the arrival. The longer the aliens stay, the more difficult world relations become. Can each country put aside their differences to come together and communicate with the aliens? That's where Louise is needed.
Louise is given the task of communicating with the aliens and learning their language. When I heard that, I thought it was too far-fetched to believe. However, the film provides some interesting insight on linguistics that makes it believable and really fascinating. (Is this the first linguist in a major movie?) The movie rests on Amy Adams shoulders and she delivers. Adams portrays Louise's mind for linguists with an air of professionalism. Yet, there is much more to Louise as she showcases an emotional core while reacting to the aliens as anyone would...with terror, wonder, and grief. (I would explain more on the grief, but I can't because there are some major spoilers there.)
Jeremy Renner re-teams with Amy Adams (never forget American Hustle) as Ian, an astrophysicist looking to find answers. The two become a captivating team, often working together to decode the alien language. Forest Whitaker completes the cast as Colonel Weber. He's a practical military who recruits Louise when the aliens arrive in hopes that communication will be successful.
Arrival has many strengths, but it's not without weakness. I love the film's twist, but the ultimate resolution is way too rushed. I wish I could go into detail, but I don't want anyone to be spoiled on the ending. Just know the resolution I'm referring to involves a phone conversation near the end of the movie.
This is a nit-picky criticism, but some of the dialogue can get a little corny. It's clear these lines are meant too lighten the mood, but they don't flow with the serious tone of the film.
Arrival is a mind bender. You can't leave the theater and just forget about it. The more I think about it, the more I appreciate it. I'm sure it will be divisive among mainstream audiences. Some will appreciate it and some won't. One things for sure though: like it or not, Arrival is cerebral sci-fi that leaves an impact.
My Rating: 8/10