Read Mixed User Reviews for Arrival

4

nuggetmanNov 11, 2016

Denis Villeneuve is a talented and promising filmmaker, 'Prisoners' being an obvious benchmark. While I'm still looking forward to his Blade Runner sequel I have to say Arrival was a huge disappointment. Amy Adams great performanceDenis Villeneuve is a talented and promising filmmaker, 'Prisoners' being an obvious benchmark. While I'm still looking forward to his Blade Runner sequel I have to say Arrival was a huge disappointment. Amy Adams great performance notwithstanding, this was a ponderous, superficially profound movie that ultimately goes nowhere.… Expand

34 of 66 users found this helpful3432

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4

lennycliff123Nov 11, 2016

As other have commented, Villeneuve is a good director but this is a step in the wrong direction for him. I hate to use the B word {boring}, but Arrival is a real endurance test even for fans of serious, thought provoking movies.

32 of 64 users found this helpful3232

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5

ryecaNov 13, 2016

Not great. As others have said, it is slow. Also, it feels like they just did a wikipedia search for "linguistics" and then wrote a script around the first paragraph. I don't see this as a cerebral sci fi film at all. More of a cheesy, slog-fest.

21 of 44 users found this helpful2123

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6

joaodestroyerFeb 19, 2017

This movie a huge disappointment. It's boring, the plot is a joke, and it tries to very deep and philosophical even though by the end of the movie, you don't care about the characters or their troubles. A waste of time.

4 of 6 users found this helpful42

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5

netflicNov 14, 2016

This is a science fiction movie about aliens visiting our planet. Or rather about attempts the mankind takes trying to establish a contact with aliens.

The movie is done quite professionally, and I liked it's cinematography and sound track.This is a science fiction movie about aliens visiting our planet. Or rather about attempts the mankind takes trying to establish a contact with aliens.

The movie is done quite professionally, and I liked it's cinematography and sound track.
There are good actors starring there (Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker), and they deliver adequate performance. Most of the movie kept me interested. Sometimes pseudo-philosophical lingo carried me away. I think the movie was too long, and the script has not been thought through, leading to nowhere. Which is a shame, it had a lot of potential.… Expand

13 of 24 users found this helpful1311

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4

Benkoko11Feb 23, 2017

In his first foray into sci-fi, Villeneuve's lofty ambitions are as over-calculated as they are under-executed. Arrival is far from the promised humanist thriller, coming across as a wannabee Nolan thinker, only less coherent and moreIn his first foray into sci-fi, Villeneuve's lofty ambitions are as over-calculated as they are under-executed. Arrival is far from the promised humanist thriller, coming across as a wannabee Nolan thinker, only less coherent and more pretentious. After the abominations of Enemy and Sicario, this may just be strike 3 for Denis.… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

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5

mrmonsterMar 6, 2017

Tremendously overrated. It is a good movie, and has very good special effects, but it did not deserve a best picture nomination. At best it is forgettable.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

CytololNov 11, 2016

This one is getting reviewed higher than I believe it deserves, so I will reply. I love Denis Villeneuve's other movies, and the cinematography and general quality of this one is consistent. We get lost in being too philosophical andThis one is getting reviewed higher than I believe it deserves, so I will reply. I love Denis Villeneuve's other movies, and the cinematography and general quality of this one is consistent. We get lost in being too philosophical and digging for a big philosophical point, but never really finding it, I felt. Simple as that.… Expand

12 of 25 users found this helpful1213

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5

AxgrinderNov 13, 2016

As a “thought-provoking” movie, Arrival is over-rated drivel. Amy Adams is a good actor, and she does yeoman’s work here, but she breaks no new ground. The movie is a “Fail” almost every other level. Forest Whitaker is wooden, and TheAs a “thought-provoking” movie, Arrival is over-rated drivel. Amy Adams is a good actor, and she does yeoman’s work here, but she breaks no new ground. The movie is a “Fail” almost every other level. Forest Whitaker is wooden, and The Notebook like story within a story is lame.

Amy Adams plays Dr. Louise Banks, a linguist, trying to figure out how to speak to aliens that have arrived at earth in dark, giant, scary looking, pods that look like slag. The aliens have no spoken or alphabet based written language. Instead, the aliens converse using ink blots (which look like the stain that a wine glass might leave on a cardboard coaster, and made me wonder if the writer came up with the whole idea while sitting at a bar.) Equally boring and conventional are the aliens. (Why do aliens always seem to have squid-like bodies?)

Dr. Banks is apparently the only gifted linguist left in the world, and the gov’t seeks out her expertise to the exclusion of all others. (Ugh!) Dr. Banks speculates that the aliens are so advanced that they have no apparent way to communicate with humans, and thus it is up to the humans to figure out how to communicate with them. (Groan!) For Kumbaya reasons, the aliens have split the message they want to convey to the people of earth into 12 parts, and use 12 different space craft to deliver it to 12 different populations across the earth. (Ay Yi Yi!) Of course, the reaction of earth people is to go loot Best Buy and then try to blow up the aliens.

There is a story within the story about time travel (Oh no!) and Amy Adams daughter who, we learn early on, has died from some rare disease. This is supposed to give the movie its heart, but when you separate out the two movies halves, neither part has enough weight to give the movie any real substance. As far as director Denis Vileneuve goes, I liked his work in Sicario. Arrival is a step backwards.… Expand

11 of 23 users found this helpful1112

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6

TVJerryNov 17, 2016

The aliens have returned. This time in cool-looking, mysterious crafts that hover above the earth in 12 places. Amy Adams is the expert linguist (with a troubled past?) who's brought in to try to establish communications with the mysteriousThe aliens have returned. This time in cool-looking, mysterious crafts that hover above the earth in 12 places. Amy Adams is the expert linguist (with a troubled past?) who's brought in to try to establish communications with the mysterious creatures. This film's concepts for otherworldly design are intriguing, but after seeing the film, the reason for their visit is still hazy. While there's lots of enticing set up, the proceedings move slowly to a repetitive and frustrating crawl before it's over. To make matters worse, the ending may leave you flummoxed. (Some internet research helped explain it.) While the premise is certainly fascinating, the dwindling pace and lack of much tension results in a less-than-satisfying outcome to this untraditional extraterrestrial narrative.… Expand

7 of 15 users found this helpful78

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5

moviecritic68Nov 16, 2016

Being a sci-fi buff I was anxious to see this film. It was not all I hoped it would be. Repeated scenes over & over lost the interest of the audience as I could feel. The acting was average and the sub plot was difficult to follow. JustBeing a sci-fi buff I was anxious to see this film. It was not all I hoped it would be. Repeated scenes over & over lost the interest of the audience as I could feel. The acting was average and the sub plot was difficult to follow. Just couldn't rate it as some have.… Expand

9 of 20 users found this helpful911

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6

patrickk1Nov 26, 2016

Sorry, movies rated 81 are supposed to rock the house. They mailed it in for the last 30 minutes. Stay home, save your money, and watch it on your flat screen.

9 of 21 users found this helpful912

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6

BikerjamesNov 28, 2016

I don't mind that the film is slow. 2001 is a slow movie and I love every frame of it. This movie is boring at times. I looked at my watch a couple of times. I don't believe we could decipher the complex symbols as quickly as they did,I don't mind that the film is slow. 2001 is a slow movie and I love every frame of it. This movie is boring at times. I looked at my watch a couple of times. I don't believe we could decipher the complex symbols as quickly as they did, and I always have to wonder why super intelligent beings have a hard time learning our language(s). I also felt ZERO chemistry between the two leads. I also thought about the movie "Contact" several times as there is too many similarities. On the positive side, the visuals are striking at times, and Amy Adams is wonderful, as she is in every film she is in.… Expand

6 of 14 users found this helpful68

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6

cgoofiesNov 16, 2016

I went to see this because when I arrived at the theatre Arrival was the only movie that just started. I liked Jeremy Renner in other movies like The Town, so I thought I would watch this one. I was pretty disappointed and could not give moreI went to see this because when I arrived at the theatre Arrival was the only movie that just started. I liked Jeremy Renner in other movies like The Town, so I thought I would watch this one. I was pretty disappointed and could not give more than a 6. It seems he did not get enough acting in and even looked quiet at times like his lines were cut out. I don't see him in a romantic role either and the music was too overwhelming for me. It is an interesting idea but I don't believe the writing was really there, her flashbacks were predictable, and you knew what was going to happen. One of those films basically you know as the ones that rely on the CGI to get the ticket sales which is a losing concept to me.… Expand

5 of 13 users found this helpful58

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6

Redrog1Dec 8, 2016

Sorry but I must have missed something here.... an alien culture that has the intelligence to travel millions of light years to our planet and they rely on us for translation and to communicate?

5 of 13 users found this helpful58

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5

Sh4rk82Nov 13, 2016

Can I be honest? This movie doesn't have any sense? What "precious" message aliens have for the Humanity? after half hour I completely lost interest watching the movie that was turning into a no sense plot. After Indipendece day any otherCan I be honest? This movie doesn't have any sense? What "precious" message aliens have for the Humanity? after half hour I completely lost interest watching the movie that was turning into a no sense plot. After Indipendece day any other Sci-Fi movies has been able to be plausible (for what possible), exciting and with a simple as much as deep story. Disappointed… Expand

5 of 14 users found this helpful59

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6

faridiNov 18, 2016

Arrival is one of those movies where people think that if you did not think it is a great movie, then it means you did not understand it. The payoff at the end was just barely enough to cover the deficiencies. Getting to the end wasArrival is one of those movies where people think that if you did not think it is a great movie, then it means you did not understand it. The payoff at the end was just barely enough to cover the deficiencies. Getting to the end was difficult. It was super slow. The romance seemed forced. Could have been better. 6/10.… Expand

6 of 17 users found this helpful611

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5

BeeceeNov 14, 2016

The film starts off in an interesting way. An alien race lands in 12 places on earth for an unknown reason. Amy Adams is a linguist who is contacted by the military to communicate with the aliens, with a metallic, spider-like appearance,The film starts off in an interesting way. An alien race lands in 12 places on earth for an unknown reason. Amy Adams is a linguist who is contacted by the military to communicate with the aliens, with a metallic, spider-like appearance, who communicate through circles of ink. The effort to communicate with the aliens is the most interesting part of this film. However, there is a major digression into the private life of Adams' character, and the film goes back and forth over time regarding the daughter's life (who is in the hospital in one scene) - her husband barely appears. The movie is basically unsatisfying and confusing - you never really understand why the aliens came to earth in the first place and why they landed in 12 locations. With the exception of Adams' character, you never really get to know anyone else. There also doesn't seem to be any interactions with people at the other locations. "Contact" was a much better and coherent movie on a similar subject.… Expand

5 of 15 users found this helpful510

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6

AxeTNov 26, 2016

On the one hand, yet another damn flick about aliens coming down! On the other, one that is fairly restrained, intelligent and serious with an original thought provoking premise. The slow unraveling mystery is good. The conventions of theOn the one hand, yet another damn flick about aliens coming down! On the other, one that is fairly restrained, intelligent and serious with an original thought provoking premise. The slow unraveling mystery is good. The conventions of the sub-genre that still aren't transcended here are not, nor is some of the sentimentality. Alas it is not that bold after all.

Would a real scientist constantly dealing in mathematics and numbers upon reading .083 say, "point oh eight three" and not "point zero eight three"? If he is played by a sloppy actor taking sloppy direction perhaps. Or such a real scientist saying oh instead of zero might just need to be fired and lose grants.… Expand

5 of 15 users found this helpful510

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4

Thejudge21Jan 27, 2017

If you want to watch a film to fall asleep to this is it. Long boring and you won't want to stay awake for the ending. How this has such a high rating Is as baffling as those squid like aliens. Even I could write a better script than thisIf you want to watch a film to fall asleep to this is it. Long boring and you won't want to stay awake for the ending. How this has such a high rating Is as baffling as those squid like aliens. Even I could write a better script than this film had. Endless moments of nothing, and the climax was not out of this world. very disappointing considering the acting talent. Don't waste your time...… Expand

4 of 12 users found this helpful48

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4

OrionDarkwoodJan 4, 2017

Arrival has some interesting things going for it. However the plot quickly slows to a snails pace with the "flashbacks" going on which caused me more than once to serious consider leaving the movie. The twist at the end helps some but evenArrival has some interesting things going for it. However the plot quickly slows to a snails pace with the "flashbacks" going on which caused me more than once to serious consider leaving the movie. The twist at the end helps some but even that they bang you over the head with like we are idiots and need everything spelled out for us several times.… Expand

3 of 9 users found this helpful36

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5

night4Mar 25, 2017

Seriously, just go watch Contact again, because it's way better than this. Arrival is trying to be Contact and it just falls flat.

A male protagonist would have helped. Being less slow would have helped. A better soundtrack would have helped.

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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6

Douglas56Dec 2, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Much has been said of Amy Adams's acting in this film. The praise is richly deserved but that's where the accolades should end. Great acting rarely makes great films and this movie is not great, despite my sincerest desire for it to be so. Greatness in theatre or cinema usually requires great characters (or less often, a highly original storyline). Arrival has neither and Adams's character, the linguist Louise Banks, who dominates the screen time, is little more than a sketch for a oil painting Villeneuve and his writers are unable to complete. The film has been hyped by the critics as a serious, intellectual alien encounter sci-fi that outshines all the comic book treatments of this trope. It's certainly serious but rather brainless at the same time. The science is minimal ("hey, I've discovered that 0.0833 recurring is 1 divided by 12") and the linguistics a mere ornament. But worse than that, it's a little boring. The social commentary is unremarkable, the philosophical content hackneyed ("hey I've discovered that love conquers all") and the ending a hasty conclusion to a fabricated tease. That's two disappointing films in a row for Villeneuve—hardly a good omen for the Blade Runner sequel.… Expand

5 of 17 users found this helpful512

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5

swingDec 30, 2016

Weird and complex, strangely engrossing, but not entertaining. A big problem was that you couldn't understand what they were saying half the time, but maybe that was a good thing. And, as for meaning, who knows? Certainly no 2001 or CloseWeird and complex, strangely engrossing, but not entertaining. A big problem was that you couldn't understand what they were saying half the time, but maybe that was a good thing. And, as for meaning, who knows? Certainly no 2001 or Close Encounters. I suppose it had something to do with the meaning of life. Unfortunately, too much pat Hollywood story lines as well.… Expand

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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4

johnsonjohnsonJan 17, 2017

亜有時則是指在伦敦西区上演的戏剧。光業的役所浩二勝俣博山约百老汇剧院經常共同被看作光業的役所浩二勝俣博山是英语世界中最高水平的商业剧院代表。观赏伦敦西区的演出已经成为觀光業光業的役所浩二勝俣博山的役所浩二勝俣博山崎健藺生小林高水平的商业剧院代表。观赏伦敦西区光光業的役所浩二勝俣博山業的役所浩二勝俣博山。亜有時則是指在伦敦西区上演的戏剧。光業的役所浩二勝俣博山约百老汇剧院經常共同被看作光業的役所浩二勝俣博山是英语世界中最高水平的商业剧院代表。观赏伦敦西区的演出已经成为觀光業光業的役所浩二勝俣博山的役所浩二勝俣博山崎健藺生小林高水平的商业剧院代表。观赏伦敦西区光光業的役所浩二勝俣博山業的役所浩二勝俣博山。

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

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4

shoulderoforionJan 20, 2017

Cheap time travel as memory tricks doomed this only passing scifi flick with trite explanations, ignoring gaping logic holes dealing with the two main characters. I wouldn't recommend this movie. Style (& not all that much of that) over substance.

2 of 9 users found this helpful27

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5

NegatiwFeb 5, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I had so many high expectations from this movie, but they all fell into the drain after the end of the movie. I expected it to be a mystery, a good Sci-Fi movie, but it was completely and utterly boring. I know, there are some psychological and existential implications to the movie, but damn, it wasn't what I expected.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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6

bkristmanJan 8, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have to give the film makers a 6 for effort and some originality because it is different than other sci-fi films but the overall dreariness of the characters and the foggy plot take much away from it.
Even though it made me think awhile after i watched it it i came to the conclusion that it was too silly to be worth the thought with all the logic holes.
One thing i thought of that made me laugh after i watched it was how when they brought the female lead in to try to communicate with the aliens after 'every other expert failed' she succeeded by just doing what is a stock thing in every low budget fish out of water film i've ever seen .....pointing at herself and saying 'me jane....and then pointing at the alien and .you.... ???"
Those other experts must have been pretty lame.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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5

jgzegerJan 27, 2017

Two alien octapuses travel to Earth in a giant egg and share the secrets of time with humans by squirting black ink onto the wall of their on-board fish tank. This film really makes you appreciate Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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6

georgioFeb 27, 2017

Arrival is a very nice example of something that I would call "organic" movie. First, it selects its audience that consists of something I would call "wanabe deep thinker". Then choose some scientific trivia - in case of Arrival it is aArrival is a very nice example of something that I would call "organic" movie. First, it selects its audience that consists of something I would call "wanabe deep thinker". Then choose some scientific trivia - in case of Arrival it is a random fact from psycholinguistics. Exaggerate this idea to make it suitably epic for grand reveal. Cover your basics with camera work and CGI. As for the rest of the script just play into cultural stereotypes your newb deep thinkers audience. But beware you only have capacity for one deep idea and even that one has to be carefully unpacked. I am sorry, but just one random idea is not good enough to carry a movie no matter how well made. In a sane world this should be an scifi flick. That is why it gets that mark from me.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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5

jcasetnlNov 5, 2017

The long-used time paradox theme gets competent and often clever treatment but that alone does not a good film make. There's not a likeable performance anywhere to be found, but Amy Adams is certainly the worst, wearing a perpetualThe long-used time paradox theme gets competent and often clever treatment but that alone does not a good film make. There's not a likeable performance anywhere to be found, but Amy Adams is certainly the worst, wearing a perpetual close-to-hyperventilating expression of confusion and shock for nearly the entire running time. Even worse, we have to be told in voiceover by Jeremy Renner of Adam's competence as a language expert because neither the storyline nor Adam's character can manage it. She literally goes up to the alien with a small whiteboard and writes 'human' on it and points to herself. Seriously? That's the why the military wanted her so bad?

Despite her deer in the headlight stares and stumbling dialog, it's revealed she is also somehow the savior of the world and the film doesn't even try to pull off this sleight of hand with any kind of cleverness or character development, simply letting the time paradox storyline conveniently drop the pieces in place around her. The last WTF is a romance introduced in the final few minutes of the film despite a complete lack of chemistry between the main characters. No moments of levity or humor between them, but out of nowhere Jeremy Renner delivers one of the corniest, left field romantic lines in cinematic history, paraphrased as: "those aliens blew my mind but you blow my mind even more." Keeping the romance under wraps was to protect the "big reveal" at the end, but the storytelling necessity of doing that should have been the clue the writers needed to bake this one a bit longer.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

ozymandias79Dec 5, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This could have been a great movie but the plot holes were large enough to drive a truck through and the premise is a bit hard to swallow. So there's a written language that induces clairvoyance. Sounds stupid when saying it out loud , right. So if the whole point was to teach us this written language, why didn't they start with that? Why was it Amy Adams who starts trying to communicate through writing? If they can see the future, why do they let one of themselves die? Forgetting the phone call to the Chinese general, a major plot point? Also, the twist is a bit predicable, not horribly, but you can guess it before the reveal. Poor execution has really detracted from this movie. If you're going to make a film, do it properly!… Expand

0 of 8 users found this helpful08

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6

43in2014Jan 9, 2017

Related media: The film is based on a short story, Story of Your Life, by I have not read it.
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What's it like?: Twelve spaceships arrive on Earth suddenly and the story focus on the US military enlistment of a linguist (Amy Adams) and aRelated media: The film is based on a short story, Story of Your Life, by I have not read it.
>
What's it like?: Twelve spaceships arrive on Earth suddenly and the story focus on the US military enlistment of a linguist (Amy Adams) and a physicist (Jeremy Renner), among others, to investigate the spaceship that landed in Montana. The aim is to communicate with the visitors and to find out what they want.
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Cons:
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1. Many of the concepts of the film do not make sense. Why would a species able to build such advanced spaceships, and hence would be advanced themselves, not have done the homework with figuring out the languages of 21st century Earth first before landing on Earth or making their presence known, hence needing me to spend nearly two hours of my time watching them do their homework (ha ha...)? While doing that, why not also figure out the 21st century Earth geopolitics so as not to land in a war zone or in a country that is more prone to strike first before asking questions, like China, Russia and the US?
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2. While we are on that, any of the recent films that pander to the China, such as Iron Man 3, The Martian, etc., always seem to skate on thin ice on the probabilities of the plot needing to depend on China. China has a restriction on the number of foreign films to be allowed to be screened there each year. Including an actor of Chinese nationality and a plot that portrays China in a good light, would up your chances of getting your film screened there. This film is doing just that. > 3. Why would the supposedly friendly visitors come with so many large ships? To make a first contact, one smaller ship would suffice. Sending so many ships would make it appear like a projection of power. Furthermore, the visitors stayed quiet for a long time and did not send out greetings that announce their intentions, thereby making everyone edgy. Then there is this elaborate process for the less advanced humans to figure out the language of the visitors, thereby keeping countries edgy for a longer time.
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4. *Spoiler* The language of the visitors, stupidly, does not have a proper order/syntax and one assumes, could only be understood by someone who had learnt it since young or had spent many years studying it. How could an advanced species have such a poor language? Just compare this to the advanced nations on Earth now. >
5. The sound editing of the film seems to have been arranged by someone less experienced than the more established artists. There were inadequate separation between different sounds and inadequate distinction between them. The sound editing in Interstellar was clear - you had quiet periods and then loud ones. Here, the different sounds were on all the time and I could not separate between the film score and sounds made by the visitors or their spaceships.
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6. The reason behind the visit was inadequately emphasised by the visitors - it was delivered too quickly and the details were poor. The reason made me ask the question, why travel such great distance (and ***) to deliver such a simple message? It could have been done using less manpower and resources, and at less risks to the visitors, by just sending a radio message.
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7. Forest Whitaker has made another film where he did the usual character actor job again, the other being in Rogue One. It didn't have much of a significance there and the the same applies here.
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8. *Spoiler* The film implies that the visitors had implanted visions of the future into Amy Adams's character, as a final twist, but I do not accept its explanation on on how the implant could have happened, thereby making me feel like it was a cheap shot.
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9. This film is ripe for parodies by HISHE and Honest Trailers. The film is much ado about nothing, much.
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Pros:
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1.It's the usual stuff with Oscar-bait films, good acting, etc. etc. I don't think it should win anything after watching the film.
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How would the different age groups rate it?
Children: Poor
Teenagers: Poor
Young adults: Average
Medium age adults: Average
Old adults: Average.
My rating: 3/5 (no half scores). Save your money and watch it on TV.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

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6

SrPepeNov 17, 2017

Si bien me pareció una gran historia con buenas actuaciones, la película es extremadamente lenta. Me aburrió bastante, no la volvería a ver y no creo que haya merecido estar entre las mejores películas.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

SathielJul 4, 2019

As if realistic alien contact is not difficult enough on its own to depict, Arrival also tries to incorporate "time travel", hence doubling-down on its failure to portray a convincing sci-fi narrative. Beyond the fresh but failed attempt withAs if realistic alien contact is not difficult enough on its own to depict, Arrival also tries to incorporate "time travel", hence doubling-down on its failure to portray a convincing sci-fi narrative. Beyond the fresh but failed attempt with the linguistic aspect, this film is far below Contact in every regard, and only a truly numb mind can look beyond the glaring illogicalities and senseless plot.

To be more specific and to name some key points: aliens come to the planet physically but do absolutely nothing? Anthropocentric madness. Time travel into the past without addressing the paradox? Americans being the only "good guys" of the human race? A pathetic accidental misunderstanding of a common word (in English) being the plot device that results in the culmination? Mediocre acting and a pointless plot for a very forgettable film that, I'm sure "fans" don't even recall anymore. Watch the Contact instead.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

MyDistUniverseDec 26, 2016

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Lets starts honest
I really liked Arrival. Until it turned weird. Then, not so much anymore.
With a class A cast including Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Forest Whitaker this should have been a great movie all the way to the end. Except that it wasn’t. It was a great movie until it stopped being that. I had high hopes for it and as such I was left slightly disappointed.
Arrival is a good story with a ton of potential for greatness until it got whacked on the head and it all went belly up. For some reason I can’t help comparing it to the 1997 movie Contact, starring the iconic Jodie Foster, which kind of had the same problem. Great movie with a great story until the moment it went all pear shaped.
The Story
Twelve pods of unknown makeup and origin have appeared overnight at seemingly random locations around the globe. As to be expected the media goes nuts and social services break down. School is out. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is a successful linguistics professor who stands in from of an empty class room the next day. She highly regarded in her field and has done highly classified consultancy work for the government in the past. Because of this it comes as no big surprise when she gets approached by the military. They need her help in decoding the language of the aliens and once that is done they want her to establish communications with the visitors. For this mission she gets a team of people and works closely together with Ian Donnelly, a theoretical physicist, portrayed by Jeremy Renner.
All twelve pods have positioned themselves at seemingly arbitrary coordinates all over the world. The local governments are scrambling to establish contact with the aliens and try to learn as much as they can about ‘their’ pods. They all have a fall out about how to proceed and one by one they end up shutting down communication with the rest of the world. Everyone is now acting isolated without knowing what the others are doing or how far they are with their work to decipher the purpose of the visit. This of course creates an explosive situation that threatens to get out of hand when gossip has it that the Chinese are contemplating to nuke their pod in search for answers. This of course is not an ideal situation for anyone, as no one knows if and how the aliens or the neighbours, for that matter, will retaliate.
Here is where it went wrong
In between her work Louise has these strange flashbacks to her family, mainly her daughter. Except that we learn she doesn’t have a family nor a daughter. These flashbacks are just that, but that the events have not actually happened yet. They will happen in the future. And that, because she now speaks the aliens language, time doesn’t follow in a straight line for her anymore but in parallel strings all mixed up.
Say what?
This is where is turned south for me. I am good with weird and strange. But that was too much for me. In that moment the movie lost its credibility in my eyes. I know there are concepts out there about time and space and astro physics. In fact I am very interest in the subject. I have read several read books and listened to countless podcasts about it. But the way it was done in the movie is just ridiculous. I am very sorry.
Final thoughts
I suppose we can draw similarities to todays society, which is rather trigger happy. We constantly on the cusp of a global catastrophe even without the presence of aliens. This raises the question of what will it take for humankind to step back from the abyss. What is needed for people to start working together instead of against each other?
Arrival also touches on another question. A moral one that people ask themselves daily. If you knew the future and the way your life would turn out to be, would you change anything? If you knew that by accepting the greatest gift and joy you would ever get, you would also set yourself up the the most desperate pain. Would you still chose the same path?
Its a powerful message. I just wish they would have found a different way to convey it.… Expand

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5

DovahKJul 2, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Otra más que bebe en aspectos de la todo poderosa Alien, aunque esta vez por fin, parece que no tienen porque ser los extraterrestres los malos.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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4

gt1967May 25, 2020

Definitely a case of the emperor's new clothes, this film isn't as clever as it thinks it is. To be fair though it seems to have convinced a large number of people that it is. The longer it goes on the more the story and more importantlyDefinitely a case of the emperor's new clothes, this film isn't as clever as it thinks it is. To be fair though it seems to have convinced a large number of people that it is. The longer it goes on the more the story and more importantly logic starts to unravel. As for the ending, meh just psychobabble.… Expand

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5

DogeGamer2015Jun 6, 2020

Aunque tiene una calidad de producción increíble, la trama es muy lenta y puede confundir al espectador.

0 of 5 users found this helpful05

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6

Sosmooth1982Jun 2, 2023

ok movie really boring at times. it was only interesting to see the space craft and the aliens. other then that it was pretty dumb. working together and love is something the planet will never understand. well at least our leaders wont any way.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

PsychopathicTimMay 14, 2021

The movie is very aesthetically pleasing to look at. There are a lot of great visual set pieces here. But as far as that, the movie never really transforms into anything more than a slice of life. Yes, the woman knows what'll happen in theThe movie is very aesthetically pleasing to look at. There are a lot of great visual set pieces here. But as far as that, the movie never really transforms into anything more than a slice of life. Yes, the woman knows what'll happen in the next few years by the end of the movie, but what does she say to the guy that would happen to? The moral of the story is to live life even if it means going through heartbreak, but if feels hollow as it all felt avoidable to a degree and yet also in some ways makes the inevitability of the situation even worse.

It's hard to say without spoiling, but it's decent to below average (a 6 rather than a 7). The soundtrack is probably the only other above average thing about this movie, though, very etherial and melancholy. God rest the soul of the composer.… Expand

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6

JJ2FAS4UDec 30, 2021

----------------------------------6.0/10-----------------------------------

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4

RobMarr75Sep 9, 2023

Massively overrated. Nonsense science masquerading as deep thoughts for those that don't know any better. I don't know how else to explain that what you see in this movie is just silliness.

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