Geekscape Movie Review: ‘Arrival’
There’s a titillating excitement for that first glimpse of the aliens in new science fiction film “Arrival,” starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner opening this weekend.
From director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) is an intellectual sci/fi thriller about a talented linguist charged with the challenge of making first contact with aliens who arrive mysteriously in twelve different ships scattered randomly across Earth.
If you are familiar with the term slow-boil where a story takes it’s time to heat up, “Arrival” can be compared to a crock-pot. There’s a lot of good elements piled together in this film including some smart script writing from Eric Heisserer who has the tricky challenge of writing a moving human tale balanced with high-concept science fiction.
It comes down to do you want to make a film that is popcorn fodder like “Independence Day” or do you want to do something intelligent? Thankfully, Villeneuve chooses the high road taking the story based on Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life” and shaping it visually into a high concept movie from a micro viewpoint of mainly two scientists and their relationship with themselves and the aliens.
Just like the film “Interstellar” that was terrific up until the end when it went high concept and left more than half the audience behind “Arrival” faces similar challenges. Even so, Villeneuve stays true to the genre which is about challenging what is, and asking what if.
On that basis “Arrival” is stunning as it covers new ground incorporating what life and communication might be outside of the spacial dimension of time.
“Arrival” reminds me of two films that both beautifully captured high concept science fiction, “Cloud Atlas” and “The Fountain,” but ended up leaving half their audiences’ in the dust and frustrated with understanding what the heck was going on. “Arrival” faces similar challenges if conversations over heard after the screening can be trusted, and questions I personally answered to several who both enjoyed the film but didn’t quite grasp why things happened the way they did.
The lack of understanding for some will mean an uninspired reaction while others will fully embrace and appreciate a story of this magnitude.
Bottom Line: High praise is deserved for director Villeneuve who visually takes a high concept of science and incorporates it into a moving story about humanity and the nuances of life on Earth and not of Earth. Fans of science fiction will surely embrace this film of first contact while others who don’t fully comprehend may be confused in the end. Incoporating main stream talented actors like Adams and Renner, intriguing visuals, and a sumptious sound track that delivers quiet moments and powerful equally in resouding ways will go a long ways in helping those who don’t quite get the story to still enjoy the over-all film.
4 out of 5
PG-13, 1 hr. 56 min.
Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Directed By: Denis Villeneuve
In Theaters: Nov 11, 2016 Wide
