Despite the at times, drug out beginning, it doesn't take long at all to get the ball rolling in this film as these massive ships land all over the world. Who are they? What do they want? All these questions and more get asked, and I gotta say that it is all wonderfully done. Your characters, setup, and setting is all set up wonderfully. In a way, it actually reminded me of Independence Day, only not in a bad way. Here, we get twelve vessels that land in places around the world, in completely random locations. They don't position themselves over the world's famous landmarks, one straight up landed in Montana. The world of course takes notice, and confusion happens. Hysteria from the general public, tension with the military, I honestly believe this may be one of the most accurate portrayals of first contact out there. We're introduced to Dr. Louise Banks, played wonderfully by Amy Adams as an expert linguist, who is asked to help find a way to communicate with these mysterious beings. This sets in motion a solid first two thirds of film for me. There is always something keeping your attention, always piquing your curiosity, always wowing your mind.
My first criticism toward this film goes to the aliens themselves. While we don't exactly see them an awful lot in this film, mainly because most of their scenes take place aboard their ship, where they stand behind a literal glass wall of a sort, I didn't see their design to be that compelling. One can argue that as a fan of Star Trek, designs in alien races should be the last thing I criticize, but each race there is fleshed out so incredibly well most of the time, that you don't mind that 90% of the galaxy is humanoid. The aliens have no visible orifices, and seem more like large black squids honestly. I will say though that the way they communicate is great. I love the way they write their language, I love the idea that time to them is perceived differently from how we perceive it, it's all a wonderful blend of sci-fi mesh that again, kept my interest, despite the bland designs of the aliens...and their ship (the interior of this ship is really nonexistent).
As wonderful as the story is for the first two thirds of this film, there are a few things I've been pondering now that I cannot help but wonder. Louise communicates with the aliens by way of visual aid, and introduces them to our writing system, which introduces us to theirs. We see the humans work tirelessly to interpret this new language, and I cannot help but wonder why the aliens themselves didn't bother trying to understand ours. Or attempt to communicate with it. The aliens of this movie, despite having a presence, really don't serve much of a purpose to this film I can't help but feel. Heck, by the time the third act rolls around and the question of why they're there is answered (which I won't deny is actually pretty cool), I cannot help but feel that literally nothing was accomplished.
Spoilers up ahead. Skip this paragraph of you don't want any.
The aliens apparently come to earth because they're in need of humanities help in 3000 years. There are some basic ideas here with their perception of time here that are actually quite...to coin a phrase, fascinating. Where we perceive time as linear, time to them is more...whole? They can perceive the beginning, middle, and end. Or something along those lines (the movie explains it better than I can). But after we find out this goal, and how the aliens keep in communication and speak to one another...they literally just leave. And that's their story. This leads to an ending I'm not sure I really like. Out of nowhere, it kinda becomes this last minute romance film. While the two leads get some time to develop thankfully, I cannot help but feel that their actual relationship was kinda just tacked on. One of the things I didn't care for was how Louise apparently all along was this...person who could see the future and see ahead. It lays this whole convenient plot device down in which she may prevent a global war and where memories she thought were past memories were actually visions of her future. And what I cannot stand is that we get little to no explanation as to where she got this ability, or why she has it. Heck she doesn't even seem to tell her husband about it. In fact I'm gonna go ahead and say that I feel the ending of this film is...too happy? Yeah we know how it ends in a way, but at the same time, I cannot help but feel that it just kinda halts this movie. In the bad way. Heck, as the credits begin to roll, there were a lot of questions on my mind that I didn't feel were answered.
That being said, I still think that the first two thirds are quite solid. Despite some quiet scenes and some small moments of confusion, the contact with the aliens themselves, and the process of communicating with them is really fun to watch. The films score, though nothing memorable, presents a very ominous and very big feeling. It's a very ambient score that's there more to show the importance of the visitors, more than it is to make actual music I guess. And it succeeds. It's not a bad score. And the casting of this film is great. Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, they're all great in this film. It's all a wonderful combination to take in, and despite its faults, I am glad to say I saw it.
I'm giving Arrival a three star rating out of four. The first movie of the Autumn season I've seen to thoroughly entertain me. Despite the flaws it has, it's impossible to say that it's not enjoyable. Even if the first two thirds outshine its conclusion, it does need to be said that it's still a film to admire. It has a lot of really cool ideas that will make you wonder just how accurate the film might be in protocols with first contact scenarios. Who knows how that day will act out, so long as they don't blow our landmarks to hell and back again, I'll be open to their own arrival.
Please feel free to suggest any movies you'd like me to look at. Leave a comment down below encouraging your own feelings of the movie, and as always, thanks for reading.
Final Verdict: 3/4
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