Review of Arrival (2016) by Jason G — 01 Jan 2018

At its core Arrival is not an alien movie but, as the featured image suggests, a human movie. It's a movie about the power of humanity and our need to overcome divisive rhetoric and fear in order to survive. It's especially poignant in the current U.S. political climate, when it's not difficult to imagine a historically significant event bringing us to the edge of catastrophe.

It's hard to find fault in any aspect of this movie, so instead, I'll stick to what works well. Amy Adams' initially flat performance is incredibly nuanced - don't disregard her as a contender for Best Actress. The sound mixing and score are beautifully handled, creating a space for the movie to breath and feel and exist without shoving emotions down the audience's throat. The cinematography is stunning, aided by beautiful scenery and near-flawless visual effects.

Finally, screenwriter Eric Heisserer (previously wasted on projects like The Thing and Final Destination 5) handles the source material from the sci-fi short story "Story of Your Life" with aplomb. I'm seeking out an original copy of the story now, to see how much he adapted, and how much was just not screwing it up (a real danger in Hollywood these days, no matter the quality of the source).

I'm on the edge of my seat eager for the Academy Award nominations (three days!) to see how many Arrival pulls in. Simultaneously, it won't surprise me if this low-budget, indie film is too nuanced to get the recognition it deserves. Never fear - I may not be the Academy or Roger Ebert, but this movie has my full endorsement.

Arrival is easily one of my favorite movies in a long time. You can take that with a grain of salt as I'm a total sci-fi movie fan, but still. Damn, it's good.