Review of Arrival (2016) by Saintdecky — 03 Feb 2017

Arrival is a creative, fresh, and new film that is beautifully shot, acted, and written. The trailers and the first few minutes may seem cheesy, but don't be fooled. Once the plot is unfolded it is so much more.

Characters/Acting: One of the only complaints I have about the movie was that Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker didn't get to do much. It's more of a showcase of Amy Adams' character. It still worked out fine, but I would have liked to see more of the co-stars. Otherwise, it is well-acted and the characters are strong enough to care for.

Cinematography: The direction of this movie is beautiful; beautiful shots, beautiful angles, and so many beautiful little things that made the atmosphere eerie and creepy.

Music: The score is one of the best ones I've heard in a long time. It's suspenseful, eerie, and sends chills down your spine. How it was not recognized with an Oscar, I have no idea. The score was more ambient and abstract, rather than a traditional score with normal music, and it pulled it off well.

Plot: The plot twist in the end was not predictable, chilling, and amazing, reminding me of The Sixth Sense. It wasn't a "hah, you thought this but it was actually this, get rekt" kind of twist, it makes you think more and figure it out. Like Sixth Sense, you may recall certain scenes after finding out the twist and think, "huh, that does make sense with the twist applied." Some say that the plot is paced badly, and I can see where they're coming from. There were some slower moments, and the movie is in no rush to complete itself. There are a few scenes that even I agree went on for just a minute or two long, but did set up good tension.

Visual Effects: Despite a moderately-sized budget, the effects were not the greatest I've seen in a while. There are a few scenes where the effects were obviously not prioritized, but almost everything looks convincing enough so it doesn't take you out of the movie.

Overall, Arrival is an excellently-crafted, thought-out movie. Do I think it deserves many of the nominations it received? Definitely.