Arrival (REVIEW)

written by Jacob Chimilar (@sweetlows)

If you have seen any of Denis Villeneuve previous films you know he likes intriguing slow burn stories that keep you guessing. In the theatre I saw this movie in I heard people constantly whispering to one another trying to piece everything together. This is a very intriguing movie and one that works best not knowing anything going in to allow the mysteries to unravel as the story progresses.

Amy Adams brings a fantastic performance to the film and gives the story a strong emotional core. The direction, cinematography and sparce score all work to deliver this hard sci fi experience that explores themes very relevant to today's world. The plot is very simple but the execution is well thought out and consistently engaging. It runs just as long as it needs to and completes it's story in an enjoyable way. If Interstellar didn't have a budget I think this would have been the movie they would make. It's small, intimate and engrossing in all the right ways.

I honestly don't know what else to say about the film because it is one that doesn't have a whole lot to discuss outside the main plot and the themes surrounding it are such that to tell you would be to give something away. If you like the more morally charged episodes of Star Trek then I think you'll find something rather rewarding in Arrival. It's performed and executed to perfection, it's simple yet complex and constantly rewards viewers by paying attention. I do have one gripe about how fast something occurs with little explanation but beyond that it is a very solid film. Don't read the synopsis, don't watch the trailers, if quality slow burn sci-fi appeals to you, go see it.