The 2016 science fiction film, Arrival, directed by Denis Villeneuve and based on the short story “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang, had a lot of buzz surrounding it upon its release. The film stars Amy Adams as Dr. Louise Banks, a linguistics professor who is recruited by the U.S. military to help communicate with extraterrestrial beings that have landed on Earth.
Arrival received widespread critical acclaim and was nominated for eight Academy Awards in 2017, including Best Picture and Best Director. It ultimately won one award for Best Sound Editing. But beyond its critical success, Arrival also sparked discussions about language and communication, human nature and unity.
The plot centers around twelve alien spacecrafts that land at different locations across the world. Dr. Banks is brought in along with physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) to try to decipher their language so they can understand why they are here and what their intentions are.
What sets Arrival apart from other science fiction films is how it approaches the concept of time itself – specifically through Dr. Bank’s experiences trying to learn the aliens’ complex language system which involves understanding their perception of time as non-linear.
This leads to some truly mind-bending moments throughout the film as we see Dr. Banks experiencing flashbacks and visions seemingly out of order or happening simultaneously – all because she has gained an understanding of non-linear time through her work with the aliens.
At its core though, Arrival is really about communication between individuals from vastly different backgrounds – whether those differences be cultural or even intergalactic – and how learning to speak each others’ languages can lead us towards greater empathy and unity.
While this theme may seem heavy-handed in lesser hands than Villeneuve’s or screenwriter Eric Heisserer’s (who adapted Chiang’s short story), it never feels preachy or forced throughout Arrival’s two-hour runtime thanks in large part due to Amy Adams’ nuanced and heartfelt performance.
Adams’ portrayal of Dr. Banks, as a woman who has experienced both great joy and profound loss, is one of the film’s greatest strengths. Her character is given a real sense of vulnerability throughout which makes her moments of triumph all the more satisfying.
Jeremy Renner’s Ian Donnelly serves as a good foil to Adams’ performance – his role is mostly comic relief but he still manages to bring depth to his character’s interactions with Dr. Banks and their colleagues in the military.
The cinematography by Bradford Young also deserves special praise – Arrival’s muted color palette gives it an almost dreamlike quality that adds to its otherworldly feel without ever detracting from its emotional core.
While some may argue that Arrival falls into the “sci-fi for people who don’t like sci-fi” category, I would argue that this film transcends genre altogether. Its themes about language and communication are universal and could apply just as easily to any human interaction regardless of whether aliens are involved or not.
Arrival is ultimately a film about hope – hope that through communication we can overcome our differences and come together as a unified species. At a time when division seems to be at an all-time high, this message feels more relevant than ever before.
In conclusion, if you haven’t yet seen Arrival, I highly recommend giving it a chance even if science fiction isn’t typically your thing. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of what it means to communicate with each other on both personal and global scales while still managing to be emotionally engaging throughout.