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Arrival (2016)


Arrival (2016)




7/10



Starring
Amy Adams
Jeremy Renner



Directed by Denis Villeneuve


Imagine a movie about aliens visiting our planet.
Right now, I’m sure a lot of alien invasion movies are crossing your mind. If you’re older, films like Alien (1979) and Predator (1987) might come to mind—complete with the gore that defined those movies. Think of the infamous scene in one of the Alien franchise films where an alien bursts out of a man’s chest.

Arrival is different. In this film, an alien race visits Earth and lands at twelve different locations. A language expert is brought in to communicate with them, find out what they want, and determine whether Earth should prepare for a military response.

Arrival takes you down a path that’s far from the usual gore and fighting of typical alien movies. While there are films where alien races come to help Earth, this one stands out for its unique approach.

The movie doesn’t waste time with a flimsy introduction—it gets straight to the point. Louise (Amy Adams) starts the film by holding her newborn daughter in her arms at the hospital. Through a series of fast-forwards, we see the child grow up and eventually die from an incurable disease.
Now, here’s a small spoiler: those opening scenes aren’t just an introduction to Louise’s present life. What they mean requires you to watch the movie to fully understand.


Louise is a linguistics professor specializing in language interpretation. During one of her lectures, she notices only a few students are present. The constant ringing of phones leads her to discover that twelve extraterrestrial spacecraft have appeared at twelve locations across Earth.
She’s recruited by the U.S. Army to help translate the aliens’ language.

Louise joins the team but quickly realizes how impossible it is to translate an alien language without some form of mutual understanding. She decides to start by sharing information with the aliens, hoping to establish a foundation for communication.
Similar efforts are happening at the other alien ship sites, but each country is using a different method to communicate.

During one communication session, the aliens mention something interpreted as “weapons.” This sparks panic, leading humans to prepare for a potential fight. Other countries receive the same message and form alliances to attack and destroy the aliens if necessary.
Louise, however, suspects this is a misinterpretation. She now has to do everything in her power to prevent what could become a global catastrophe.

Arrival is fascinating in its own way. Its depiction of an alien visitation is very different from what we’re used to—there’s no massive fighting or impending world destruction. Yet, the movie delivers thrills in its own unique way. Kudos to the director for the pacing and the cinematographer for the stunning visuals that bring the alien encounters to life.
This is a great movie, and I encourage you to take the time to watch it.



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