In what has been considered by some to be an abysmal year for films, Oscar-season has brought along a modern classic in “Arrival.”
Debuting at the Venice Film Festival in September, “Arrival” is a critically-adored film, providing a breath of fresh air for the sci-fi genre as it goes against the grain of the typical alien-invasion film. It proves to share more conceptually with “District 9” or “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” than it does with disaster-oriented blockbusters “War of the Worlds” or “Independence Day.”
The film centers on Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”), an accomplished linguist professor who is recruited by U.S. Army Col. Weber (Forest Whitaker, “Southpaw”) to establish communications with aliens who have landed vessels in 12 different locations worldwide. Banks, along with physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner, “Captain America: Civil War”), must work to establish standard communications with the aliens, referred to as “Heptapods” for their seven tentacles, in an attempt to understand their purpose on Earth.
“Arrival” possesses a high concept that is wonderfully executed by director Denis Villeneuve (“Sicario”) whose films have always thrived on building tension and captivating audiences to the point of emotional investment. Villeneuve has managed to craft characters who garner empathy from audiences through their flaws or their pasts.
The same is brought along with Louise’s character, who has endured incredible highs and devastating lows as a mother, losing her daughter to an incurable disease. This B-plot could have easily been overbearing and heavy-handed, but the story and Oscar-worthy performance by Adams handles it so precisely that it captivates and manages to tie in to the main plot. In some cases, it becomes just as important as the potential threat of invasion.
“Arrival” takes the smart route in not following the invasion trope that has been all but beaten to death. Instead, the reaction to the threat of invasion creates paranoia and violence in people across the globe, serving as a metaphor for the fear of terrorism.
For Banks and Donnelly, their goal of communicating with the Heptapods is further complicated by the looming threat of militaries plotting to attack their vessels. As Banks comes to discover, language plays a more significant role than merely establishing communication. It is a matter of discovering what the role is, thus building an incredible amount of tension for the characters and the audience.
Artistically, the film makes great achievements, rarely but efficiently utilizing special effects, painting beautiful scenery through its hazy cinematography and storytelling through a powerful score that connects the aliens to the humans.
Villeneuve’s films have the tendency to be well-rounded and they manage to differentiate themselves from one another as their varying themes are not beaten over his audience’s heads. Rather, Villeneuve has faith that his audience is smart enough to follow somewhat complex plots that find a way to not be overly convoluted.
“Arrival,” for all its complexities, remains simple, resonating as one of the best films in a lackluster year, yet the film would still manage to stand out regardless of what year it is.
This tour de force possesses wonderful performances, including a career-defining performance from Adams and a story unparalleled by any of the sort. It is a modern classic that will continue to earn its place as one of the best sci-fi films of the 21st Century, and potentially a surplus of Oscar nominations and/or wins.
“Arrival” has arrived.
