[yasr_overall_rating]
A linguist is recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications.
A lot of people are comparing “Arrival” to Roland Emerich’s blockbuster “Independence Day,” and while the only angle that both movies share is the appearance of strange alien spacecrafts around the globe and everyone’s fear of what could follow, make no mistake, while “Independence Day” was great popcorn fun, “Arrival” is a thinking-person’s film. While it is more intelligent than its predecessor, and more serious in tone, the science fiction element is still in tact. Denis Villeneuve, who directed the contemplative and solemn “Prisoners,” and the gripping “Sicario,” diversifies his overall tone with “Arrival,” and while the narrative may have changed from Mexican drug lords and child abductors, the human drama and emotion that was the kinetic energy of both those films, is still on display here.
When twelve thin black spacecrafts appear unexpectedly at various locations around the world, none of them correlating to any large cities or any geographic information that can be determined, each country brings in their top linguist, hoping that they will discover a way of communicating with the alien ships. In the U.S., it is Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams), who is teamed up with mathematician Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), and who are being guided by the team leader, Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker). With the American spacecraft hovering over a large empty field in Montana, once the military have cordoned off the area for miles, and Louise and Ian reach the location, they are both informed that every 18 hours, a hatch underneath the ship opens, allowing them access. Suited up and ready to go, both make their way to the opening. Once inside however, they come across what appears to be a sheet of glass that separates them from the aliens, known as Heptapods.
Towering symmetrical aliens with seven legs and a barrel-shaped body, complete with seven eyes and a breathing orifice, when initially observed by Louise and Ian, naturally, they are apprehensive but when Louise quickly comprehends that they mean no harm, stating that if that were their intention, they would have already done so, she begins to work on a method of communication that both parties can understand. As days turn into weeks, and weeks into months, Louise gradually begins to interpret their language and while seen as a significant breakthrough, things quickly spiral out of control when China states that they have cut off all contact with their alien craft and are taking up battle stations, due to the fact that their linguist allegedly translated part of a message which included the word “weapon.” Seen as a possible act of aggression, Russia follows China, as do several other nations, ready to blast the ships back to where they came from but when Louise states that the aliens’ intentions are not malicious, she must try and persuade Colonel Weber to talk the other nations down, before it is too late.
“Arrival” is slow-moving but never boring. It keeps your attention throughout the entire movie and while Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker both hold their own, it is Amy Adams who is the story’s driving force. Everything hinges on her, every thought, every action, every memory, and she knows it. With the entire nation holding its breath as she tries to uncover the visitors’ intentions here on earth, she never loses focus, even when everyone else around her does. The film’s finale exhibits a twist that thankfully isn’t acknowledged with implausible groans and sighs, rather, the more you think about it, the more the rest of the story comes back into focus and makes sense. Director Denis Villeneuve successfully weaves drama, human emotion, and science fiction, not an easy combination, and does so effortlessly. Already hard at work on “Blade Runner 2049,” yep, the sequel to the 1982 Ridley Scott classic, it will be interesting to see what fresh ideas and concepts he will bring to that sci-fi universe.
In theaters Friday, November 11th
