A science fiction revolving around alien invasion on the planet generally gives you an impression of another disaster movie with mass destruction of life and property on screen featuring some heroic figures saving the world, presented with the help of exceptional computer graphics.Thankfully ARRIVAL doesn’t deal with any of such repetitive content and offers a completely fresh take on the subject focusing on communication with the visitors understanding their existence, language and vision instead of straight away destroying them all through some aerial explosions.
The film begins with 12 huge mysterious (vertically oval shaped) UFOs appearing at random locations all over the globe and a team headed by a linguistics expert (Amy Adams) along with a physicist (Jeremy Renner) being sent to communicate with the creatures knowing their real intent. So discarding the most obvious assumption about the genre, the film doesn’t feature any action packed destructive sequences at all and therefore turns out to be a pleasantly novel and completely ‘distinctive venture’ for a change, with a quite peaceful progression.
Based on a short story titled ‘Story of Your Life' by Ted Chiang, ARRIVAL has been directed by Denis Villeneuve who probably has formed a habit of delivering cinematic masterpieces in his career displaying an amazing consistency (do not miss his shocking INCENDIES (2010) at any cost!). Interestingly Villeneuve’s present film deals with no action as such despite being a science fiction. In fact the action here is more ‘intellectual’ in nature with some very fine ‘spiritual’ touches added beautifully. In other words here the destruction or explosions are more emotional and cerebral to be exact, bringing you on to the edge of your seats especially in the final hour.
The film begins on a touching note introducing us to Dr. Louis Banks and her kid daughter, later reappearing as flashes into the progression making a thoughtful connection. In the initial moments you got to see it with a lot of patience as its not a routine alien movie delivering the exciting moments at once. The narration takes time to sink in and then slowly comes to the jaw-dropping revelation of the two exceptionally created aliens communicating with Dr. Louis in particular.
She visits them along with the team more than once in the film and their interactions are thoroughly recorded for further studies and analysis. Each new interaction with the aliens gets the viewers involved and then they are slowly sucked in through the mesmerizing, breathtaking presentation post the initial 40 minutes.
Describing it differently it will be more appropriate to call ARRIVAL as a not to be missed ‘Audio-Visual masterpiece’ more than a film that essentially needs to be seen in a well-equipped theatre enjoying the outstanding visuals and sound designed by all true geniuses. The effective performances get supremely enhanced through the combined efforts of composer Johann Johansson, cinematographer Bradford Young, editor Joe Walker and the art department, together leaving a magical impact on the viewer lasting till several hours. Especially the sound literally transports you into a hypnotic trance with an amazing mix of tones giving many spiritual hints and unexpectedly timely scares too.
Though in the end, I did find the film to be much less descriptive than desired moving into a somehow predictable and dramatic zone getting more concerned about the entertainment factor. But still that doesn’t allow me to cut short the praises it truly deserves becoming one of the few unmissable films of the year 2016.
Concluding it on a more introspective note, as an intelligently crafted film ARRIVAL sincerely points towards the present scenario of our world too wherein we (the countries) are not interested in getting united even in such drastic times of a scary alien invasion over our blessed planet.
Besides, it can also be described as an important Anti-War film strongly trying to give the core message that where the aliens might be more interested in discussing humanity and peace; we the Earth-ians are strangely more inclined towards self-destruction and wars proving much backward and self-centered in comparison to those mysterious creatures.
In all ARRIVAL can easily be rated as a pleasantly different must watch ‘Audio-Visual Treat’ in the genre of science fiction that should also be shown in schools all over the globe in order to spread the message of Peace and Universal Harmonious Existence.
Rating : 4 / 5
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Arrival Review by Bobby Sing, Arrival (English) Film Review by Bobby Sing, Films on Alien Invasions, Must Watch Science Fictions, Hollywood New Films Reviews by Bobby Sing, New English Movies Reviews by Bobby Sing, Hollywood Movies Reviews at bobbytalkscinema.com, Hollywood Best Science Fiction
