Arrival (2016)

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Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat. (imdb)

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Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Written By: Eric Heisserer, Ted Chiang

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tzi Ma, Mark O'Brien, Frank Schorpion, Abigail Pniowsky, Christian Jadah, Jadyn Malone, Lucas Chartier-Dessert, Julia Scarlett Dan

Genres: Drama, Sci-fi, Suspense/Thriller, Mystery

Country: Canada, USA

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All Ratings | With Reviews

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TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
15	CMonster	89 _90th
Remember the beginning of Independence Day when there was mystery and tension from the unknown of what these random alien ships are doing here? The part where it was a little shitty and not 100% shitty? This is like someone saw that and said, "Maybe I can make that not shitty." A rare sci-fi these days that doesn't try to be a genius film by trying to explain the impossible science, but really just 100% succeeds at being kinda smart, like 127 IQ smart. Not MIT smart but Boston University smart.
13	sellis	87 _81st
It's like Nolan if he actually tried to understand human beings and had a sense of humility. I love that how within the first three or four shots, there are rigid aesthetic rules being established (it's either super tight/shallow focus on Adams or ponderous wides). We are 100% in Louise's perspective throughout, which I can't praise enough for a movie like this. The most personal sci fi film since Solaris maybe? (Hard to overlook Upstream Color if it qualifies). Fav Villeneuve I've seen so far
12	jacobclark12	98 _97th
Arrival is one of the most thought-provoking sci-fi films I've ever seen. The direction from Denis Villeneuve is ridiculously visually rich and very artistic with its long takes and steady shots. Amy Adams turns in the best performance of her career, and the way the film reveals her character's true nature in the third act is stellar. The design of the aliens and their language is beautiful, and I love the film's themes about language itself.
11	Nathan S	4 _74th
Its temporal upheaval is perplexing, inspiring sheer curiosity and visceral suspense, paid off not in allegory or unlocked secrets, but in the comfort of a more interior interpretation of mankind's relationship with the cosmos. Smart science fiction may be as much spiritual as it is technological or political. Arrival's great achievement rests near the end of its slow crescendo, unraveling with such careful measure, it's as if you knew everything all along.
11	Barthalen	82 _86th
Sci fi with a solid humanistic core that appealed to my 'can't we all get along' sensibilities, especially with the world the way it is now. Paints in broad strokes at times (army bad, other countries paranoid and bad) but I could ignore that to simply get immersed in the, well, alien-ness of the arrivals and the sense of Seriousness and Wonder about them. Kudos to how it manages to sneak in a tragic love angle without annoying me too. More like this and less Independence Day bullshit, please!
9	Alex Watkins	3 _38th
A heady-yet-grounded sci-fi with a strong humanist touch, Close Encounters by way of Upstream Color's uneasy philosophical bent.
9	frederic_g54	7 _57th
Smart and provocative ideas are deftly explored through clever writing and effective minimalist filmmaking, yet its initial emotional impact is eventually diluted by a long-delayed revelation that eventually proves to be the film's downfall. More of a prolonged exercise in narrative sleight of hand than a solid piece of storytelling - let's face it, nothing really happens - Arrival is still worth a watch for fans of cerebral sci-fi. Great work by Jóhannsson and DoP Bradford Young as well.
8	Suture Self	5 _43rd
It's hard to discuss my complaints about its hokey politics and philosophy without spoiling major plot points, but it does deliver a sound, if a bit basic, message about language, which can more or less be boiled down to this: In order to truly talk to someone, you have to know their language, you have to really listen to what someone is saying, person to person. People may think this is obvious, but in practice, it's very, very difficult. Communication is hard work. It requires selflessness.
7	Mentaculus	91 _90th
The film's Prestige may be easily dismissed as a Shyamalan-esque plot contrivance, unless the film's construction itself reflects the linguistic ouroboros at the narrative's center. I see here a search for God - St. Augustine's "Today" - a spiritual mystery as resonant as it is troubling. When Adams asks, "Who’s child is this?", questions of faith echo in the aliens' fog.
7	snbutler	65 _43rd
Stylish and well acted but let down by breaking the golden rule of time-travel stories: the mechanics must be internally consistent. Sapir-Whorf isn't quite able to bear the weight put on it here. After late reveals in Enemy and Prisoners, Villeneuve should be careful not to become an upmarket Shyamalan.
7	Leonardis	96 _91st
I really liked this movie! It's a solid thinking-persons sci/fi that's well made in all aspects. Amy Adams steals the show and Denis Villeneuve's directing shows some real talent. The visual effects are more subtle, but they're still great. The cinematography was really beautiful as well, and Heisserer's writing is pretty original and surprisingly emotional. I personally liked the score as well. I can see why this is so well-received. If you're a patient viewer, this is definitely worth seeing.
6	djross	45 _34th
Lois Lane, surrounded by hubristic soldiers and stupid media mobs, receives a message from yet another extra-terrestrial messiah, declaring that would but the peoples of the world stop babbling and squabbling, and instead come together and listen to one another, they would find themselves unshackled from all the sufferings and degradations wrought by the relentlessness of the arrow of time. Amnesiac wife-murderers now supplanted by child-mourning single female workers as preferred protagonist.
6	theficionado	75 _74th
Shades of Eternal Sunshine's self-consciously doomed romance and Slaughterhouse-Five's temporal un-constraint/moral about the terribleness of foreknowledge. Embedded in Louise's subjectivity, Arrival packs a punch because it only slowly, incrementally reveals itself to be about those things. "I forgot how good it felt to be held by you."
6	cussot	88 _79th
Her biological clock ticks backwards and she can read alien squid ink. She's my new hero.
6	NothingsGood	40 _33rd
Denis Villeneuve remains a spectacularly gifted director who chooses the most pointless, hollow, faux-important scripts to turn into films. Arrival has a great score, fascinating character design and art direction and a brooding, Malickian atmosphere that carries the first hour while literally nothing happens. Then even more nothing happens. Then the movie ends with a gotcha puzzle piece conclusion that says nothing about anything. From the director of Sicario and Prisoners.
6	okayfrog	60 _44th
Gravity, Interstellar, and now Arrival: There's just something lacking in these sci-fi films as of late and I can't exactly put my finger on it. I think maybe they feel too caught up in telling characters' stories when what interests me most are questions into the nature of us and our relationship to alien species and the cosmos. Like Villeneuve's previous work, the film is well-shot, so there's that at least.
5	Actionberg	80 _71st
It's an exceptional accomplishment as far as adapting ideas one wouldn't assume to be translatable to a feature film format. The character work is rather beautiful and Amy Adams anchors it magnificently. I think it tends to stretch itself out a little thin by the end, and the stock science fiction antagonists (obstinate to the point of absurdity) are tiresome as ever, but the narrative arc was a hell of a ride and completely unexpected on my end. Malick homage seems to be everywhere these days.
5	terrymac	82 _89th
Amy Adams is great. I could watch her reading a takeaway menu and I know I'd be captivated. And she's great in this. It is an intelligent piece of proper sci-fi, which reminded me of The Day the Earth Stood Still. Really nicely conceived and filmed. Villeneuve could be one to watch. And Amy Adams is in it. I really like Amy Adams.
5	Kojiless	84 _88th
The true story of that time a linguist became the most important person on Earth. Suck that Google translate.
5	Luna6ix	68 _29th
I drove an hour and a half, one way to see this movie. It wasn't worth it. Every review I heard was a glowing description of a thoughtful, linguistically satisfying movie. Yet the linguistic depth of this movie is superficial at best, and it's attempt to explain determinism by name dropping the Sapir-Wharf hypothesis is downright offensive. Now, I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it, and the majority of people either overlook or explain away or simply don't understand the crippling plot holes.
5	wetwillies	60 _10th
Viewed November 11, 2016. Denis Villeneuve's visual prowess is undeniable, but here he is saddled with his worst material to date. A leaden, talky script which takes its painfully sweet and obvious time explaining its inner workings to the audience, nearly killing the very concept of nuance in the process. For a movie about communication, this is especially brutal. A lot of big ideas, delivered in a clumsy, tiring manner. But Amy Adams is good, at least, since she's always good.
5	TheDailyNathan	37 _6th
The movie straight up pulls a bait-and-switch on its audience, and that's a fatal flaw that can't be forgiven. The entire premise of the movie is pretty much thrown away in the ending just to propose some philosphy from left field, and it feels like a complete cheat. Most of the middle of the movie is also ho-hum. It's not terrible, but lacks the careful lore and world-building of similar movies. Lots of jargon and psuedoscience thrown around, all of which matters not in the end.
4	yoohoo	90 _92nd
A smart and enigmatic film - this will raise many questions but only those who pay attention will get what answers are given. Beautifully shot and well acted, this is one of, if not the best movie I've seen al year.
4	KasperL	55 _39th
Bafflingly overrated. Ted Chiang's short story ('Story of Your Life') is worth a read, but Villeneuve and Heisserer' slow-moving adaptation adds the wrong material (padding out the film with military stuff instead of getting into more detail about Amy Adams' abilities and making us care more about her relationship with her daughter). It is also hugely detrimental that they make the egregious mistake of giving too much away too early.
4	Dean Franz	74 _70th
If you're expecting a movie that probes the depth of the difficulties of communication, this ain't it. If you want a movie that lays bare a drug-induced insight of the illusion of linnear time... this ain't really it either. Read some Stanislaw Lem and Phil K. Dick instead (...actually, get on that shit righ now). If you want a good-lookin' drama that deals with grief, forgiveness and how you process sorrow, give Arrival a shot. (Still not sure Villeneuve can do the new Blade Runner, though.)
4	INDYATMN	88 _82nd
The finale may have a time paradox and may feel less profound than what came before, but it's entirely possible that thinking more about it might convince me neither is true. Either way, the film, in a surprisingly simple but clever way I'm not sure I've seen before, uses the audience's assumptions about how movies "work" to pull an unexpected reveal in the final act. Whether that end works for you or not, everything that comes before is both riveting & honest about how fear distorts perception
4	alanstrang	90 _95th
Villeneuve is definitely the master of suspense. This is one of the most rational sci-fi I have ever seen, owes much to Contact.
4	SirStuckey	90 _94th
A beautifully shot and written film that's acted superbly. Will get compared to Close Encounters due to the communication aspect of it, but this movie goes way deeper than the surface level stuff you find in Close Encounters. Also is surprisingly emotional.
4	Okkervil	94 _99th
A beautiful piece of science-fiction. It appealed to me on every level. Emotionally and topically resonant, brilliantly shot, scored, performed and all the rest. A stunning modern classic.
4	hellboy76	88 _97th
A smart subtle retrospective of communication and time. It's beautifully filmed which is what we have come to expect from Villeneuve, and it really has me excited for his Blade Runner. Back to Arrival, it's slow and soft and smart. The only flaw if any is the ending (beginning?) doesn't seem to hit with a sledgehammer reveal, but that in itself is OK. Well done.
4	goremeat	80 _76th
The reveal slowy creeps in before a rewarding prestige. The tangled timeline doesn't feel too heavy. There's a really well worked sense of fear/curiosity that smoothes through the romance/time/memory payload.
4	bakcheia	80 _69th
Amy Adams (and to a lesser extent, Renner) really holds this whole thing together. Pros: strong leads, minimal effects, solid twist, beautifully filmed, high stakes with a focus on the interpersonal as opposed to large-scale Independence Day/Marvel fuckery. Cons: the time travel logic doesn't always hold up, throwaway side characters played by strong actors, weak philosophical exploration, leans towards being more maudlin than anything. Bonus: The spacecraft kinda looks like a prostate toy.
4	Paxton	90 _97th
It was really nice of those aliens to give us a hand
4	TheEscapist	79 _87th
Good sci-fi with a focus on the personal. This film has problems for sure, but in the end they hardly matter because it offers a very powerful emotional experience if you are in the right state of mind when watching this film. That is why I forgive the plot holes, the unrealistic parts and the unexplained plot points. The power of cinema is in making its viewer feel (and think) and this film definitely succeeds in both those things. Recommended.
4	LookJabba...	9 _91st
Arrival is yet another immaculate piece of filmmaking from Denis Villeneuve and his first venture into Sci/Fi makes for an incredibly thought provoking and satisfying experience. There's a melancholic sense of reality and wonder to this film and the ever impressive Amy Adams keeps this story firmly on the ground. There's an emotional scope and depth that almost makes the grandiose Sci/Fi event the backdrop of the story. And the score and cinematography is stellar. One of my favourites of 2016.
4	joel-w-m	8 _81st
The "communication" thematic perspective is refreshingly down-to-earth (nailed it) for an alien flick, but a mid-movie voice-over somewhat mars its thoughtful slow pace, its human-human angle feels a little forced, and the rash rebel interruption is unfounded, not to mention cliche. Small flaws aside, this remains a smart and exquisite-looking sci-fi with a memorable final act, as the bits of Louise's emotional backstory are masterfully eased into the forefront, unraveling a stunning twist.
3	nutcrackr	67 _28th
It has one good trick and the concept is fairly original. But this average movie is not held strong by these two factors. The rest is a pottering sequence of translation lessons mixed with concerned characters and the flaws of humanity. Ultimately, Amy Adams gets to show off some horrid CGI hair, Forest Whitaker auditions for a zombie film, and Jeremy Renner carries two torches.
3	coffee	95 _98th
This is one brilliant movie. Not a single line is unnecessary in this amazing story and perfect musics takes you away. (P.S. Prepare some hankies beforehand.) @Today i watched Donnie Darko again and found that the similarities between the two films were striking. Handling death through time travel and the dry atmosphere... I love them both.
3	PeaceAnarchy	89 _92nd
The overarching structure (alien invasion, military control of contact, the resolution, etc) is largely unoriginal, but it's a film that uses it to great effect to explore themes of communication and acceptance with great cinematography and a dominating performance from Adams.
3	prowler	39 _35th
good story, decent acting but good lord is the somber, pompous style getting fucking old by now... movie would've been so much better without Hans Zimmer blowing his ominous didgeridoo all over it
3	Ofterdingen	48 _32nd
Takes forever reaching the final 20 minutes that delivers the kind of nonsense you somehow accept but doesn't really care about.
3	Obdurate	95 _97th
It's not quite the same 95 was Sicario was but this movie is amazing. Kubrick would be proud of this as it's super intelligent, yet also touches on some simplistic and emotional subjects. It's very meta because we ask what their purpose for being here is, but what is ours? They mentioned something about feelings/language, and Villeneuve embraces that; he's a master of mood more than anything, making you feel something with the droney music, the silence, everything.
3	TheRealJ-Ro	80 _70th
Hi, my name is Justin and I'm a Denis Villeneuve fanboy. I loved that he employed the visual obstruction device he used in Enemy, though I have to admit that Arrival did not strike me on the same level that Prisoners did. Maybe it's a grower rather than a shower and I'll appreciate it more with time? Sci-Fi that focuses less on its Sci-Fi elements and more on story & message is refreshing now and then, and it hits you with its pivotal hypothetical right at the perfect time. Definitely see this!
3	vespera23	95 _98th
I didn't think I'd ever describe a movie as "Contact meets Tree of Life," and even less that I'd recommend a movie like that to someone. Absolutely amazing visuals and haunting sound design drive a film that is as much about feel as it is plot. Trailers didn't do this one justice, you really need to check it out.
3	Beer94	70 _71st
I originally gave this a lower mark because of certain aspects of the plot but now that it's been brewing in my mind for a few days, I've begun to appreciate this more. I love the establishing communication phase of the story with the analysis of the ink blotches etc. and wanted even more of that, but there are still problems with the linguistic theory, execution and the sluggish pacing at times which stop this from being a truly great film for me.
3	oldgoat	78 _78th
A few too many scenes explaining things to the dumbest person in the room that ruin the immersion. The plot also has a few leaps of faith that don't necessarily make sense without bridging scenes, hopefully they'll show up in a directors cut. Or maybe I just have to read the book.
3	CarsonWid	84 _93rd
A smart sci-fi film with strong characters and a solid concept. Raises questions and doesn't always answer them, just like a good sci-fi, and also manages to throw on some spectacular music, cinematography, and tension.
3	timmytom	65 _43rd
You know what? No. It doesn't work. The big let down we know is coming the whole time finally arrives and it's just as big of a let down as we knew it would be. There's not enough polish in the world to cover up the flaws hiding beneath the surface--though it was all applied. It would have been an excellent film if I, too, had been unable to understand what the humans were saying.
3	Noblet	49 _24th
Humanistic sci-fi that doesn't feel genuinely human. Extremely disappointing.
3	MontyCircus	40 _37th
It's hard to talk about this without spoiling the plot. So instead, I'll just say that it is humourless and lacks thrills. It's kind of like "Contact" mixed with "Donnie Darko", and I didn't like those either. Critics rate it as a Top 5 film of the year, so if you're into critical consensus then you should run out to see it. But I can't imagine the average person being at all entertained. I would rather watch "Interstellar" 100 times than see this again.
3	bof	78 _77th
There isn't any particular relationship between the messages, except that the author has chosen them carefully, so that, when seen all at once, they produce an image of life that is beautiful and surprising and deep. There is no beginning, no middle, no end, no suspense, no moral, no causes, no effects. What we love in our books are the depths of many marvelous moments seen all at one time. (Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five) (Though there's the odd clumsy moment I could have done without.)
3	loc42	85 _88th
Amazing 2 see where Villeneuve brought the classical Hollywood epic of good vs. bad with a philosophical/philological meditation on existence. This is about the 'Other' & how humanity can have a way to embrace the other without violating it. It speaks directly to contemporary xenophobic politics as well. Plus, the editing follows the logic of that language which is based on experience of a holistic being and time, w/o any penetrative intentionality, which is the hallmark of western metaphysics.
3	o_rety	55 _24th
SJW convergence of the SF genre at its worst. For all its artistic touch, there's no escaping the fact that it's nothing more than a simple romance masquerading as science-fiction. And during its 116 min NOTHING EVER HAPPENS. The simplistic and cliched (in terms of the genre) twist/reveal at the end notwithstanding. But if you can persuade your girlfriend to watch SF, I'm sure in this case she'll be pleasantly surprised.
3	dargumin	83 _93rd
A well crafted film with a simple but beautifully executed twist. Amy Adams finally delivers a character you can feel invested in. Kang & Kodos deserve a nomination for best supporting actors.
3	juntakinte99	50 _9th
I guessed the twist ending before the first scene ended. However, like rewatching a film I love, I thought I could still finish this and still enjoy it. But the movie stretched the short story material into a joyless and humorless slog. I go to movies to engage in something emotional--not watch perfume commercial visuals where someone plays with a Rubik's Cube for two hours. And most of all, it doesn't approach the political sophistication of The Day the Earth Stood Still or Contact. Avoid.
3	torbern	45 _9th
What am I missing? Why is Villenueve being so vehemently praised for this? The performances are all rigid and wholly forgettable (and with stars like Adams, Renner, and Whitaker, that's on the direction). The plot is undercooked and, at times, downright laughable. Were it not for a couple of compelling individual moments--mostly involving Amy Adams and squid-things--I can't imagine what I would've taken away from this film.
3	QuinlanLJ	90 _99th
An instant sci-fi classic. Arrival is a near-perfect film with brilliant direction and screenwriting and a provokation of thought that will keep your mind busy for a while.
3	JackRyan2014	80 _91st
Great film. Well shot and solid performances from the cast. Has a lot in common with the 1997 film 'Contact.' A good adaptation of the novella 'Story of Your Life.' The picture is much too dark though.
3	Yiannos	48 _19th
Villeneuve is like Fincher: he regularly confuses a drab dark overcast look with artistry, but he lacks the ability to make films that are compelling beyond their cold mechanical craft. The language puzzle concept was a decent idea that gets dropped quickly in favour of a rather boring and predictable engagement with the politics of the 'other'. The Lovecraftian inspired aliens shrouded in fog are almost dreamlike, but the overly solemn tone isn't remotely justified by the junky material.
3	mooper	95 _99th
Phenomenal movie, can't suggest it enough. Don't think I hated any movie by the director Dennis Villenevue
3	backwardsuit	81 _83rd
Proper scifi this. Very impressively juggles some fascinating concepts & cinematic storytelling. Sure it's a bit contrived & simplistic with its ideas but it's a wonder it manages to make them palatable at all in this kind of multiplex format. It has a sturdy emotional core & a timely uplifting message about communication & acceptance. Generally very well handled & Adams carries it wonderfully. Feels like Kurt Vonnegut light which is a pretty good thing actually.
3	le mami	80 _82nd
Frankly, What I expect from sci-fi is not great scientific analysis. In fact, everythin does not need to be scientificly true. It has very complex story with very good editing and great leading role by Amy Adams. That's enough for my sci-fi expectactions. Maybe it could have been better with less politic arguments and more family relations but anyway this movie is one of the best of this year's Oscar period.
3	dardan	33 _24th
[Sp.] The utterly trite beginning, as well as the scenario of China, not the US, initiating a stupendous, unplanned war against an undefeatable enemy quite strongly diverting from what extrapolations of recent history would lead one to expect, are constituent to the multitude of facets this seemingly artistic yet ultimately formulaic--and hence false--essence manifested into.
3	SpeedMarque	25 _9th
About as interesting as learning German verbs in high school.
3	bratings	87 _69th
Thought-provoking and emotionally resonant, Arrival is captivating science-fiction, anchored by a strong performance from Amy Adams and arresting cinematography.
2	Moribunny	5 _2nd
Critters something like "War of the Worlds" Martians by way of "Alien" facehuggers arrive in giant oval pods that I'm sure I've also seen before and proceed to induce the most eye-rollingly trite and cheesy dialogue between the annoying cookie-cutter humans that are tasked with engaging them. It has that sermonizing tone that many sci-fi fans refer to as "cerebral", but really just gets increasingly idiotic and cliched as it goes. Allow me to deter you with the spoiler that language is a weapon.
2	iqcumber	20 _2nd
The tensions in this movie are contrived and implausible, resulting in emptiness. Nothing is earned here. I found it excruciating. MOVIE IS DUMB.
2	TheDiceman	80 _95th
Excellent.
2	legstump	75 _80th
Laying bare the banality of most other recent scifi puzzlers, Arrival is intellectually and emotionally weighty, visually stunning, brilliantly acted, eerily scored, and unfolds its secrets with total confidence. With Incendies, Prisoners and Sicario all among the top films of their year, and with Arrival likely to join them barring an unprecedented end-of-year crop, Villeneuve is rapidly building a case that he is one of the best directors working today. And holy shit he's doing Blade Runner.
2	cagedwisdom	50 _38th
There is a pretty good idea behind this, but for me it ended up surprisingly bland. Mediocre script and performances backed by drab, grey visuals. It's not bad and I think I might even recommend seeing it, but I hesitate to call it good.
2	Nichololas	95 _99th
I really loved this movie. No screentime is wasted, for a fairly 'hard' sci-fi concept it rattles along at a good pace. Amy Adams is excellent. I am a sucker for linguistics so the strong Sapir-Whorf hypothesis woven into the story and editing of the movie really got me. One to rewatch for years to come.
2	evrana	96 _97th
This one was excellent. For the last few years the mainstream sci-fi has been very satisfactory. It strikes a right cord between suspense, sentimentality and technical details which makes it highly touching. I loved the design of the alien language; also a sci-fi story about linguistics is pure genius. There are lots of gems in Chinese sci-fi; I hope that this one opens up the well so that they become more accessible to general public. They really have a very different approach to storytelling.
2	msprague	90 _96th
Quite good from start to end. I was so happy to see they didn't veer into the jackassery that was Independence Day. A smart film.
2	Icarus	93 _94th
This is science fiction done well. This is filmmaking done well. It's comfortable with silence and dialogue on a lower register. It doesn't need explosions to advance its ideas. Because it has ideas, and it connects those to the lived experience of human beings. This is a film about choosing connection rather than destruction, life rather than death. This is a film that dares to envision a world of cooperation and harmony, a world marked by transcendent vision rather than limited perception.
2	cgcore	40 _14th
bullshit, it's weak.. technically great, but just can not deliver. didn't look so deep or thought provoking to me.
2	spamhead80	91 _91st
I saw this movie shortly after my Dad died, which probably contributes to my feelings about it. It's beautiful and very human sci fi with some very interesting concepts revolving around the nature of time and the both the choices that we make and the events that are completely beyond our control.
2	andayb	65 _68th
villeneuve does a decent job stretching the suspense and mystery, but he can't just erase the fact that whole movie is based on a very paper-thin premise. As it rolls towards the end, one expects a more coherent denouement, or at least some palpable exposition. Instead we get an ad-hoc ex machina and everything fizzles out (quite literally). it's okay, but mostly it's "meh". (go ahead and translate that)
2	HyphenateMe	85 _94th
This is the best movie about linguistics I have ever seen and also the only movie about linguistics I have ever seen.
2	QVT	95 _96th
I'm better for having seen it.
2	begoniabol	84 _85th
Finally a different approach to 'alien coming to earth'. Instead of blasting their brains out, they choose a peaceful approach, trying to understand eachother and I enjoyed that a lot. Amy Adams is likeable and plays her role well and I liked Whitaker too. The ending felt a little corny, but I could accept that because it made sense.
2	Stewball	40 _8th
What a disappointment what with the excellent leading cast, the enticing trailer and the now inexplicable R/T rating up in the stratosphere. This is like getting J K Rowling to re-write 2001 only with 12 rounded monoliths, music you don't notice, totally inept aliens, and glowering, unimaginative, one-dimensional world-wide military figures with a Limbaugh-like figure egging them on from his gold microphone, advising our side to fire one across the bow--Gah! But the worst of it is the reason th
2	nevejas	73 _64th
In a hundred or so years Arrival will serve humanity as a documentary collection of American stereotypes for countries (China - bad), professions (colonel - boring and strict, scientist - boring, but rebellious), lessons, all aliens want to teach humanity, and human obession over time travel. Psst, it was always in the language, you just needed to know the correct word, i.e. alakazam, and then time travel comes and hits you in the eye. Don't just trust me on it, try it yourselves.
2	Bown	87 _84th
I feel like a movie about the necessity of international co-operation was sorely needed in 2016
2	deaddilly	85 _84th
A refreshingly intimate sci-fi that is simply about our personal responsibility to connect with the unknown , to embrace understanding even in fragments.
2	FrederikA	75 _77th
A mostly somber and well composed take on the wellknown Sci-fi trope of first contact, that checks all the boxes for available cliches, but is carried by Villeneuve's artistic flair as well as its overall interesting theme of linguistics. The framing human story worked well enough for the most part, but droned on quite annoyingly in the end.
2	DavidBlast	35 _20th
Spoilers The movie plays like 'Language, kids! Learn one now and gain a FREE superpower!' Well! Have I got an offer for you! Call this intelligent Sci-Fi in my presence and gain a FREE punch to the face!* *okaysoI'mnotactuallyaviolentperson.I'llprobablyjustsuggestyougoreadsomeStanislavLemorsomethingTERMSANDCONDITIONSAPPLY.
2	forehead1	60 _70th
A tale of two halves. The first, an intriguing look into linguistics and how we would attempt to understand and communicate with an alien species. The second, a tired old military vs. intelligence race, with the gun-toting types insisting we blow the visitors to kingdom come for no good reason. There's some time travel nonsense thrown in too, with questionable results. Overall an interesting concept that fails to deliver on early promises, eventually becoming rather forgettable.
2	PetrosTser	70 _66th
Boosted by the excellent production design, photography and score, "Arrival" is immersive and absorbing. It's not the all-guns-blazing actioner some may have hoped for - it never intended to be - and all the better for it. The crucial role of language and communication brings a welcome variation to the sci-fi plot and the twist packed a lot of punch even if the movie had almost given it away by that time. Still, the characters - and a constantly whispering Amy Adams - left things to be desired.
2	misterlizard	85 _92nd
I didn't review this when I first saw it, but this is a beautiful film. The slow-ish pace, intelligent story, and touching human moments hold up much better on second viewing. It deserves a 90 score, but I've had to deduct 5 points as once again Amy Adams has not responded to my marriage proposal.
2	AAAutin	69 _83rd
(Terrence Malick's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE RUST COHLE KIND)
2	Matthew Parkinson (CineMarter)	80 _89th
Arrival is a very entertaining movie about learning to work together in order to avoid complete disaster. Denis Villeneuve continues to be one of the best filmmakers working at making anything thrilling - here making explanations and teachings of language far more enjoyable than any given shootout. It cheats close to its finale, which may frustrate some viewers, but is well worth watching and delivers thrills, themes, and things about which to think long after the credits finish their roll. [Full Review]
2	asdf83sdhf	40 _25th
Slow.... I guess my expectations were just different. I didn't expect this at all.
2	closedmouth	90 _88th
Abbott is death process.
2	glumpy_99	61 _19th
Intriguing but ultimately unsatisfying sci-fi is far too sluggishly paced and somber (especially in the mid-section). Not helped by a gimmicky final act twist which ultimately makes little sense (and threatens to be a 'cheat' to the underlying storyline). Adams gives a decent performance, but only reminds of how good Jodie Foster was in the similar CONTACT; Renner and Whitaker are left with frustratingly little to do. Fine cinematography and some clever ideas make it worth watching.
2	TrixRabbi	78 _59th
Reminiscent of Tarkovsky's sci fi ventures. Cerebral and gorgeous.
2	SpikyCactus	80 _78th
Top badass moment? As someone who has no ability whatsoever to learn other languages, I can respect those who do. Chain-smoking, naked aliens come to Earth in boring looking spaceships, to blow cool-looking smoke rings at the simple humans. However, they don’t anticipate that Superman’s girlfriend will turn up and make a huge fuss about it, resulting in China almost destroying the world. And to be honest, Uhura could have worked it out in five minutes. No cats, chainsaws or decapitations.
2	WulfstanLee	100 _94th
A film that produces interesting and useful conversations. Brilliant.
2	Hofschneider	95 _97th
It's Amy Adams work alone that could've ruined this movie, could've pushed this amazing script over the boarder of compulsion. But instead her eyes and her voice uplift this writing and this fringed world to a level of rare decency, intellect and compassion. This story about touching and talking. Time and tolerance. Fate and fallout. And you know why all this works? Because smartness wins. At some point the quiet leadership will defeat the loud noise. The hammer will be a tool again.
2	Minorsage	40 _19th
Interesting concept that was stretched and thinned to death. Better to have someone tell you the movie than sit through it.
2	comepelicula	50 _37th
At first I was intrigued by the linguistic and the challenge of communication even to the point where I didn't care about the riots that didn't add anything to the movie. But then the movie didn't go any deeper into the challenge and instead focused on the sort of political aggressiveness an on the personal drama ending with violin music when everything is revealed and explained in a very Hollywood way. So in summary overrated but watchable
2	hotsake	80 _92nd
Slow but well paced for the most part and while I found the score abrasive at first it really fit the movie and kept me almost hypnotically invested. I typically don't like Amy Adams and I generally find her to be at best a mediocre actor but here she did well and pretty much carried the movie. The ideas were much better than the story or dialogue but everything fit together well and made this into a very pleasant viewing experience.
2	TamCam	90 _99th
I loved everything about this movie: Squid-like but non-evil aliens, humanities winning over science and military force, a strong female academic lead, and a proper play with time that doesn't feel illogical. It looks good too. All in all a great movie.
2	Matija D	79 _72nd
Starts excellent without too much unnecessary intro, but then how the time goes tempo becomes slower and slower.. You are waiting for the climax, but the one that comes feels bit disappointing. Social perspective is done great and thats the best part of the movie. Main male role feels bit unnecessary and underdeveloped. Expected bit more, but its still good.
2	patman	78 _88th
An amazing and mystical sci-fi movie that has been handled by an unusual sense of patience and humbleness. It takes on big themes as it tries to communicate and create a relationship with an unknown civilization, and it's because Villeneuve manages to hit both mind and heart it manages to so thought-provoking. Supported by great performances, a good script and an unique sci-fi universe it's one of this years strongest movies.
2	Groovy_Souls	95 _97th
I have to say, I didn't expect to love this as much as the critics said I would, but Arrival fired on all cylinders. Amy Adams killed it, and Forest Whitaker gave an awesome performance as well. The story is thought-provoking as well, as a little bit scary. Interesting and all in all one of the best movies of last year.
2	IeuanDP	70 _58th
The sentimental 'flashbacks' feel annoying and out of place, so the reveal just left me relieved that I could reconsider my own cynicism and actually reflect on something else. That tone sort of marred my experience of it though, alongside the shitty politics (east as belligerent/west as xenophile) and hackneyed use of rolling news/military buzz to stimulate a sense of urgency. It's lingered and grown on me a bit in retrospect.
2	Corbad	80 _80th
Its subject matter and patient cinematography is, besides quite beautiful, refreshingly atypical for its genre, but its eye-rolling Inception-horn soundtrack (effective enough but certainly seen--uh, heard before) is representative of its lack of commitment to blazing a new trail. This does not mean it becomes a poor film, as its borrowed elements are executed handily, but it stops it from becoming something more than "good".
2	Hawkins	80 _68th
Forest Whitaker shopping a Boston accent because he heard the movie was about linguistics. I got ahdas to use wicked fahce on the sahcer! Dahmahk and Jahlad at the pissah! I do like the reverse Tower of Babel framework and concept of a non-linear language that unlocks non-linear time but it ends up indulging in some inorganic conflict and cliches to find drama. Regrettably, this is as close as my inner child will ever get to seeing Samus fight Master Hand and Crazy Hand on the big screen.
2	zoink	55 _8th
I guess I went into this movie with too high of expectations. It came off as very slow, every thing seemed to be dragged out beyond just creating suspense. Maybe After another watch I'll like it better... Or maybe Villeneuve just isn't my cup of tea. Everyone raved about Sicaria and I thought that was meh as well. These are really serious movies with "professionals" who behave like morons and I just can't get past that.
2	siphus007	68 _20th
People are way too on this movie's jock. Extremely slow pacing, average acting, and an interesting plot twist. That's all.
2	theRNGcritic	31 _44th
A little bit from Kubrick, a little bit from Nolan, this sci-fi flick comes off as almost anachronistic in today's landscape.
2	ymyogev	70 _16th
A 21st century "Close Encounters of the Third Kind".
2	Jimmy Suede	65 _35th
Author comes across a phycholinguistic theory and figures aliens would make it super interesting. Sounds cool, I'm down. But it gets blown so far into the magical it's like a super-hero origin story. Not to mention this non-human language can miraculously be translated into English with one-to-one word correspondence and our heroine learns to communicate in it in about two weeks. I'm a linguist. This irks. That said, I was entertained. (Too many movies make me settle for saying that).
2	Barnowl	88 _45th
It's a companion piece to Contact, in a way, especially in terms of the weaving together of time, consciousness, and personal memory.
1	Filligan	91 _82nd
Villeneuve is one of the best in the business right now. Arrival is, dare I say, an intelligent science fiction film. This means there is no overt reliance on special effects or bombastic storytelling in order to captivate its audience. The first twenty or so minutes are so goddamn well done that by the time we finally see one of the spaceships, the entire audience is completely enraptured. I have not experienced such a deathly silent FULL theatre in years.
1	MadMan	97 _91st
Channels 2001 and other classic sci fi movies to a high degree. The cinematography is first rate as is the acting, and this is one of the best films of 2016. We could use more intelligent and complex science fiction movies these days.
1	Kavu	95 _99th
Audiovisually near perfect. When the script and acting are awesome as well, there isn't much missing. A bit slow perhaps.
1	lrampartl	71 _62nd
Different, and interesting - but still relies on a twist ending to be memorable. While I liked that it didn't rely on a shootout or a giant explosion to resolve things, it seems a little lazy to have the real villains of the film turn out to be Trump voters.
1	timmo	95 _88th
A basically flawless narrative with important things to say. Know nothing going in. Stop reading this, even, and find a way to see it. The worst that could happen is that you watch some really interesting visuals for two hours.
1	Difontaine	87 _92nd
Proper grown up sci-fi this. I like that people aren't sure why things happened and how, it shows a film that rewards repeat viewings.
1	panomadgreek	75 _76th
Could have done without all the sentimental tosh but otherwise good.
1	Cowman	60 _28th
Time is non linear because they write in circles. ALL PROBLEMS SOLVED.
1	Anomaly	83 _81st
Maybe a bit too simplistic at times, but this is still a smart and engrossing story told well. Science fiction done right.
1	td888	80 _89th
It's a bit like Contact, although I enjoyed that one much more. Maybe after a repeat viewing I'll start start appreciate this one better.
1	chengming	60 _35th
The focus on not being able to understand each other sounded like this was trying to be a realistic alien movie (if that exists), but then it conveniently glosses over how Banks actually managed to communicate with the aliens. I'd much rather have the tear-jerking backstory see get lost in translation.
1	whatismyname	70 _77th
Added more of a military aspect to the film that wasn't as strong in the short story. It didn't affect the film too much though.
1	Vrey	91 _96th
I need more sci-fi movies like this in my life
1	Vandelay1	72 _80th
good movie
1	Zealot185	91 _92nd
A treatise on the importance of language in an ever-interconnected world, disguised as an alien invasion movie.
1	XakkMaster	88 _84th
Still processing... I loved it and it's definitely a great movie, but I don't think they stuck the ending...
1	Neonman	67 _29th
Well, it starts off great, with the use of effects and sound-design making the gradual introduction to the ship and its inhabitants rather ominous. Then the film shits itself just past the half-way mark with a string of forced plot-points, starting with the eager military intervention. The film ends with some nifty and sorta clever editing that relates to the story, but there's been too many dumb shit leading up to a film with an obvious humanist moral centre.
1	chemical404	74 _89th
This one goes really well as a double-feature with Interstellar. I hope Hollywood will keep making these big-time cerebral sci-fi movies. For once it felt that cinema ticket was money well spent. It has the same problems like Interstellar: the story creates a paradox that really bugs me, but hey, it's rare for a movie to get me really thinking. Also, there's a bit too much emotional drama for my liking.
1	isitfallacy	90 _95th
I absolutely loved it. The only thing I don't like is the hideous poster I'm looking at right now while writing this.
1	eric-jan	85 _94th
Very new and cool concept for an Alien movie! Totally unexpected twists and oddly enough a lot of 'feel good' parts in the movie. Amazing pacing and great acting. This thought-provoking movie about language should be seen by all and taught in schools :)
1	astrakhan	85 _93rd
I do like this sub-genre of sci-fi where everything seems so scientifically researched, and the extent of human knowledge and technology is dwarfed by what else is out there in the universe. Arrival fits the bill perfectly. Good performances and lots of attention to detail. What elevated this from good to great for me, was when it gets into the mind-twisty Christopher Nolan-esque finale, and you are given (with perfect timing) the pieces to find your own personal answers to the big questions.
1	omgfridge	7 _65th
Thinking persons sci-fi that definitely engrosses. Spills intrigue and builds the tension with applause. Amy Adams is so good that you don't even remember Renner and Whitaker were there too. I'm still depicting what I felt emotionally or what my everlasting thoughts are. This is usually a good sign, not getting carried away till another watch.
1	fenixdown	84 _89th
Gotta love intelligent sci-fi. Beautiful film.
1	Kebapche	85 _80th
Pretty remarkable concept. It works better than "Inception" and "Interstellar" together and it doesn't gives you a headache.
1	dunetails	100 _98th
One of the best cerebral sci-fi movies since Kubrick's 2001. Utterly eschewing blockbuster action in favour of xenolinguistics
1	pcalado	50 _97th
Although with many differences, this does complete justice to Ted Chiang's story.
1	Deathcrow	71 _68th
On paper this should be the perfect movie for me: SciFi, First Contact, Aliens, Time-Travel... The acting and direction are great and in general it's really well executed. I can't get over some of the plotholes and contrivancies though. It's one of those stoires where you better don't think about it too much. Despite the large differences, Contact is the better version of this movie.
1	bolivar	85 _95th
villeneuve keeps on shining. emotive with a great script. somewhat uneven in terms of pacing and not stunned nor disappointed with acting. in the end left me deep in thought and happy with a great experience; just like a great movie is supposed to.
1	bing	70 _54th
Lovely human story, nice intrigue and almost-science, but I was left wanting. I felt the constraints of its budget in a lot of scenes, and unsubtle attempts to inject it with more conflict and danger than the original story had.
1	shalev	80 _50th
Contact meets Interstellar. Had clear potential to be better, but was dragged down by a few generic script choices.
1	VinegarBob	85 _89th
Amy Adams is excellent here and Villeneuve directs with his usual confidence, managing to convey the wonder of discovery and the down to earth pragmatism of the scientific method in a smart and introspective fashion, resulting in as realistic and engrossing an alien encounter time paradox film as you could reasonably expect. It's deliberately paced, and there's a distinct lack of spectacle, but it does gradually increase in intensity and emotional impact to a clever and quite satisfying climax.
1	Cinema_Asia	75 _71st
A film that cleverly uses the backdrop of an extraordinary event to analyze human nature. While this may not be anything terrible special with lots of films which follow a similar pretext it is still executed gracefully. Adams really carries this movie the entire way with her low key but emotive performance. There are certain moments which do not stand up to scrutiny though. Villeneuve is a blend of Kubrick and Malick..a director who has also mastered the use of silence.
1	ehk2	50 _66th
Long live the great Chinese People's Liberation Army! You save the humanity.
1	Rufam	75 _72nd
A good alien film. Not only does it manage to summon up a mysterious ambience and be thought-provoking despite working with very familiar material but it also boosts a last-minute plot twist that manages not to feel like a cop out. Villeneuve is on a streak.
1	randori	65 _42nd
mesihin hikayesini hep havarilerden okuduk. bir de meryem anadan dinleyelim
1	PerryStroika	63 _53rd
The first thirty minutes are so are incredible set up, but then the film starts to meander and drag. A contrived subplot with a Chinese PLA general and a military standoff is dragged in for some artificial feeling melodramatic tension. All in all, my reaction is mixed but on balance positive.
1	Jerky	65 _83rd
The only "Arrival" I was waiting for, was the end credits! About as exciting as a "Ted" talk. Also, if you can see 3000 years into the future, then you can clearly see what destroys your civilization, therefore enabling you to prevent said destruction before it ever occurs.
1	Nift	85 _89th
The good aspects of this movie are REALLY good, and for that reason alone I say it's one of the best sci-fi films ever. But it definitely has problems, including the fact that it could be 20 minutes shorter and not suffer for it.
1	guy piranha	85 _95th
use brain
1	ericambler	84 _86th
Amy Adams' subtly brilliant performance epitomizes the appeal of ARRIVAL, a heady sci-fi movie that's short on flashy tech and long on foundational ideas about communication. This is a movie about the adventure of discovery that rarely strays from one of the giant floating black cashews that suddenly appear at twelve different locations across the planet. A timely plea for curiosity, understanding, and courage in an anti-intellectual moment.
1	caramlefloat	70 _27th
One of those movies that keeps you wondering how it's going to end, and when you get to the ending, it was like the few hours you spent waiting was just not worth it. The answer is not what you're hoping to hear (or even answering your question). It seemed like an interesting plot focusing on communicating with aliens using actual linguistic science, but eh, did it matter much? No.
1	Trooth	79 _80th
It's a perfectly satisfying helping of sci-fi, not unlike a really good Twilight Zone episode. I haven't seen a lot of other people say this, but I got a Slaughterhouse Five vibe from parts of the story.
1	mkellins	45 _28th
I do enjoy slow and meticulous sci-fi but here the promising beginning is completely ruined by an ending M. Night Shyamalan would be proud of. The side story about the child is forced and unnecessary. At least, as always, Amy Adams is a delight to watch.
1	myfavchords	79 _75th
Amy Adams is great in this film. The script is really interesting and it keeps things interesting the entire way. Overall I would recommend this film.
1	mattorama12	74 _74th
Disappointed with how the script was adapted. The really interesting questions that were raised by the ending could have been explored a lot more. Still happy to see a thinking sci-fi like this get a lot of attention. I did really enjoy the way Villeneuve was able to show off some visual storytelling for the actual contact scenes.
1	guvolefou	40 _9th
City's Cinemaximum.
1	capodelnulla	70 _57th
klasik "filmin asıl yaratıcısı senarist mi yönetmen mi" sorusuna adeta yeni bir boyut: kurgucu mu yönetmen mi? doğrusu filmin numarası sevgili villeneuve'den çok kurgudan geliyor, bu sorun değil elbette çünkü fikrin, filmin cümlelerinin anlamı olması içi yavan bir yönetimin kurguyla konuşmaya başlaması sağlanıyor. belki hikayenin kuruluş bölümü ve elbette o vıcığımtrak final sekansı sağlam olsaydı, o zaman bu yöntem çok daha etkileyici olabilirdi. şu haliyle
1	DyanneThorne	71 _66th
Being a huge old nerd, I can't help but love the idea of using SCIENCE! and LINGUISTICS! in an encounter with aliens. It's like a really, really, really pretentious version of Star Trek First Contact. But I gotta agree with the husband. That was truly an asshat move and I say that an expert on the subject.
1	flipzo	76 _38th
Ahem... well played by the actors, but the plot has so many Marty Mc Fly holes that is incredible everyone has a so great impression of it... The shaky camera on the first scene, with the forced out of focus... come on. I am happy to have seen it at the cinema the half-price tickets night. A nice movie, I am going to watch it agiain, but not a masterpiece, for my personal taste of course.
1	deep_green	65 _50th
I liked this for the tone, much more than the content. It comes across as a snobbish Interstellar, in a way, but is only superficially artistic. Still, it wasn't dull, it has great sound design, and some of the visual concepts are cool. The way the whole trans-temporality thing is handled is anti-intellectual.
1	Armilio	65 _44th
How to merge together nice script ideas (the alien alphabet) and beautiful visuals by Villeneuve with B-movie clichés, 360° plot-twist forced like the "Interstellar" love power, and political crazyness -- why the heck in China there is an Army General in charge? It's a bit unsettling judge this film: could had been worse, but could had been way better: More sci-fi/linguistic contents, less thriller, less personal drama. Kudos for choosing not-that-famous actors but perfect for the job.
1	LarsVonTrier	2 _31st
Ughhh... Villeneuve's worst. How could a promising sci-fy-ish first half turned into a sappy melodroma with 'MURRICA!! feel is beyond me. So disappointing.
1	levine	70 _78th
Some technical and geopolitical plot beats are a little rough around the edges, but overall it's an above-average intelligent sci-fi with interesting theme, several gorgeous shots, and poignant sound design. And it made me read on Wikipedia about linguistics for half the night.
1	toddsalter	89 _58th
I read some reviews that were trashing the ending... But science fiction movies rarely have great endings. This ending at least had an impact on me emotionally and had some element of surprise to it, without boring action scenes.
1	m_nemati	69 _73rd
Technical Scores: Directing 10 Screenplay 7 Cinematography 10 Editing 7 Acting 6 Sound Mix & Music Score 10 Other Tecs 7 Extra Scores: Whole Movie 7 Myself 5 WoW 0
1	War Machine	67 _44th
Daughtercancer+inkmsg+takesuitoff-handglass-tentacle+writemeaningcomplex1sec+worldriot+theorylanguagerewirebrainhowthink+chinawantwar+kindalethermoveink+nuffcircles+knockback-explosion+amythinktrynamakehumansworktogether+shegoespodcomedown+fogroomairfucky+3kyearsweneedhumanhelp+showmemoriesofdaughter-sheaskwhochildis+memtelldaughteriknowsomethingwillhappen-toldyourdadheleft+shesaysgiftwaslanguage-seetimehowtheydo+futurechinagive#tocallinpastlol+peace-shipsleave+marryjeremy-daughtereventhoughknow
1	CStewart64	16 _89th
W4E1P2S1V2M2A2R2. Wouldn't be surprised if the source material excludes all alien involvement, which was added solely to make it feature length. Because the core personal story is so much more nuanced and deep than the cookie-cutter international alien drama. But it managed to keep my interest despite essentially being a 2-hour dream sequence. Worth a watch.
1	gyrro7	78 _41st
i guess the bar has been set so low lately that this is considered an "intelligent" film. it seemed rather predictable except the 1 "twist" that sort of explains a B or C story line not even entirely relevant to the events of the movie.
1	flycatcher	92 _83rd
Tight, beautifully shot, and left me thinking for days afterwards.
1	GorillaNosh	99 _97th
This is like that jodi foster film, contact... Only way better.
1	matthewsq	4 _5th
Slow to get going and really annoyingly stupid concept revealed in the end. Also confusingly edited i.e. difficult to tell the order of some events.
1	agraham	88 _57th
This movie was pretty great. I enjoyed the slow pacing and the more creative approach to aliens. The plot premise was somewhat subtle and encouraged some analysis and thought which i enjoyed.
1	SageSledge	100 _91st
Thought-provoking in every way imaginable, "Arrival" is yet another masterpiece from Denis Villeneuve, and a truly spectacular science fiction outing that deserves every positive review and accolade that it has received. Deeply relatable protagonists, a stellar screenplay, and a twist that'll stay with you for weeks on end? Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner.
1	larmor	46 _36th
A pleasant Hollywood product. It reminded me of Interstellar with its pseudo-intellectualism (nothing really makes sense and we never really understand what happens), its horrendous politics (Pakistan, Sudan, China, Russia as the aggressors, while in the US, it's just one bad apple) and its cheesy romance. It never really delivers on the language issue. Cinematographically, the initial and final scenes are semi-failed attempts at Malickian cinema. The rest is unimaginative with bad CGI at times.
1	mwestcott	92 _78th
Arrival is a very unique film. In that the acting and colors are muted. The themes are subtle at first. The visuals are inconstant. Withing the first ten minutes it becomes clear, this was Denis Villeneuve's plan the entire time. The film is styled and hard-hitting. Everything is minimal and works astoundingly well.
1	edward	86 _72nd
This is definitely one of the most ambitious science-fiction films ever made, and for that it deserves a lot of credit. However, for a film almost completely about physics, there is little discussion to be had. That's understandable. The story presents ideas that are complicated, difficult to comprehend, and arguably, inconsistent. It would be difficult to present theories and make it an entertaining film at the same time. So it's forgivable. A bit hokey at times but overall pretty fascinating.
1	bhajansunlo	40 _13th
Begins with a science guy vs language gal frustating dynamic which completely betrays the broad interest and general attitude most major scientists/linguists have (plus bizarre conflation of linguistics with translation). Come to think of it, there is not a single intelligent character in the film. Potential interesting ideas are given a shallow grade school treatment. It is all a shame since the movie has a good visual texture and heftiness to match its ambitions.
1	vv238	84 _89th
Not your average high-concept sci-fi mystery, Arrival is a genuinely smart and complex film that manages to be both touching and thought-provoking at the same time.
1	morphinapg	91 _89th
This movie approaches first contact in a way I don't think I've really seen before, and incorporates some fantastic sci-fi elements I wasn't expecting. This movie is gorgeous, sounds incredible, and is really memorable.
1	mck_molly	75 _88th
☆ Ah, love this film! The cast does incredibly, and I love this take on what an alien looks like. The ending is amazing too. ☆
1	drunkcrow	87 _84th
Very nice branch-out of a typical sci-fi movies. An interesting look at one of the very many unknowns that would accompany an otherworldly visit
1	hssnozdagg	95 _94th
Only idiots consider movies bad just because of their political aims.
1	willowrain	97 _63rd
The pacing is on point. Amy Adams is perfect in every way.
1	crowey	70 _63rd
Some of her decisions start to become unprofessional and the plot gets Swiss cheesed toward the end, but there’s a lot about this film that’s great.
1	didntmnthat	90 _65th
Really interesting premise and plot, however the ending leaves something to be desired.
1	doooom	75 _53rd
A good "movie", but it's not cinema enough, it ain't kino.
1	javaboymk03	90 _66th
shows how people a lot of the time think that their irrational actions are rational because how different the word "rational" is to scientist, linguists, and politicians. How the story is structured is very unique and really subverts my expectation. the only problem is that some characters feel undercooked than others.
1	taurus1982	20 _9th
I can usually suspend my disbelief with sci-fi movies, but the laughably stupid premise undercuts the serious drama!! the film tries to sell.

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Average Percentile 67.54% from 7650 Ratings