Director: Denis Villeneuve
By Alex Watson
Opening to an overwhelming hype, Denis Villeneuve's Arrival is an intelligent thriller and a breathtaking visual experience. A smart and thought-provoking script by Eric Heisserer fuels the picture and leaves the audience second-guessing. Villeneuve cranks up the tension early on and gives his film and a great dramatic edge. For a film of this genre, there is a highly emotional feel which will capture the hearts of adults everywhere.
When 12 mysterious spacecraft arrive on earth, naturally humanity assumes the worse. Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is a world-renowned linguist who is approached by Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) to make the first contact with the species. Teamed with scientist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) they must assess whether the aliens intentions are hostile or peaceful. Fighting the clock both Banks and Donnelly must uncover why the aliens are here, what they find will change both lives.
Arrival is a slow burning affair as Villeneuve builds up the suspense to the first encounter. Banks is teaching a linguistics class when the aliens first arrive hovering over a field in Montana. She has previously assisted the army translating Farsi documents so when Weber arrives she already has security clearance. We learn that every 18 hours the aliens ship door randomly opens. Other scientists have attempted contact but are unable to make any sense of the bizarre ramblings. When Ian and Louise first step inside the ship, our stomachs tighten. Set against Johann Johansson's foghorn-like score we see a pair of tentacled creatures behind a gleaming wall. When the humans first speak, the aliens just throw back what appears to be random signs. Through Louise's intelligence, it begins to transpire that these signs might mean something else entirely. Nicknaming their cephalopod friends Abbott and Costello, both attempt to forge a relationship. Taking both linguistic and scientific approaches, Louise and Ian are split on what the signs could suggest?
Things are complicated by other nations perceiving the aliens messages as threats. China led by General Shang (Tzi Ma) are refusing cooperation. Other nations are also panicking about the discoveries they have made and wish to engage the aliens in warfare. This ticking time bomb threatens to disrupt the peace on earth and could lead to something potentially dangerous. Agent Halpern (Michael Stuhlbarg) is intent on following directions to the letter and his short-sighted approach is derailing all progress made. Louise is convinced that when the aliens tell them to "Use Weapon" it is a phrase that is misunderstood. Intercut with scenes from her past where she reminisces about the daughter she lost, this ordeal is emotionally taxing on Banks. As you will learn through Villeneuve's picture, not everything is as it appears. The bond Louise forms with Abbott and Costello is genuinely moving and you get the sense that her involvement here was meant to be. Around all the military and government personnel, she is the only one able to see the bigger picture.
Although Villeneuve lets his audience down slightly with a polarizing big reveal, the sheer amount of adrenaline during the final act makes up for it. With time against them, Louise has to resort to a bold piece of thinking to save the day. What follows is a poignant moment of discovery that changes everything we know. The realization of what is to come is heart rendering but also hopeful. Arrival is a love letter to the value of language and reinforces Louise's belief that this is "the cornerstone of civilization" Smartly Villeneuve expresses what power the values of words carry and how we need to understand the meaning behind them. Bradford Young's cinematography deserves credit too. His stark and gloomy photography gives this picture a hypnotic effect. During the first contact scenes, it's like looking a new and scary vortex of beyond. Denis Villeneuve is becoming one of the strongest talents in Hollywood and gives hope that his Blade Runner 2049 will give us the sequel we have always wanted.
One of the Hollywoods best talents, Amy Adams is having a career year. Along with Nocturnal Animals, Adams is very much the name on the lips of awards shows in 2016. Here she puts in a strong and ambitious turn as Louise Banks. A clever and fast thinking personality, Louise can see what no one else can. Adams also handles the emotional weight of the character well and gives her a depth that serves her well in the closing stages. All throughout there is no doubt that somehow she is connected to her alien counterparts. Jeremy Renner gives a solid supporting turn as Ian, a scientist who initially scoffs at her language beliefs. However, this is very much Amy Adams' picture.
Arrival is a spellbinding experience which will change what you think about alien encounters. Denis Villeneuve is a director who always finds a way to audience heart rate increase. Expect big things for Blade Runner 2049.
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