Director Denis Villeneuve
Genre Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi
Cast Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg
Rating PG-13
Release Date November 11th, 2016
“A linguist is recruited by the military to assist in translating alien communications.”
Arrival is a sci-fi drama brought to us by acclaimed director Denis Villeneuve. The screenplay for the film is based on the science fiction short story entitled Story of Your Life, written by author Ted Chiang. The film originally shared the same name but after negative feedback from test audiences, the title was changed to Arrival. The film stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, and Michael Stuhlbarg.
Arrival is a thought provoking and hard hitting sci-fi drama, showcasing what may be the best performance of Amy Adams’s illustrious career. Although it is science fiction, Arrival simply feels real, and that alone may be what sets it apart. I have heard a few comparisons to Christopher Nolan's Interstellar due to a few similarities. No offense to Nolan, who is a genius in his own right, but in my personal opinion Arrival is a superior film. Director Denis Villeneuve is putting together quite the resume, with hits like Prisoners and Sicario. Arrival is the newest notch in his belt and similar to the other two I mentioned, the strength of this film falls on the cast, script, and his proven talent behind the camera. Villeneuve struts his directorial muscles with impressive cinematography contributing perfectly to the feel of the film. The effectiveness of a quality score is commonly overlooked when it comes to what makes a film great, but the contribution made by Academy Award-nominated composer Jóhann Jóhannsson for Arrival is incredibly moving. It will give you chills (don't worry, it's of the positive variety).
The cast is absolutely outstanding in Arrival, lead by a masterful performance from Amy Adams. Within minutes into the start of the film, Adams’s character develops as a relatable and extremely empathetic individual. Jeremy Renner is incredible as well, helping to establish one of the best actor/actress tandems in recent memory. The two previously starred together in 2013’s hit film American Hustle. Forrest Whitaker deserves to have his name mentioned as he delivers a strong supporting role alongside Adam’s and Renner. Veteran actor Michael Stuhlbarg, who most recently played the role of Arnold Rothstein in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, also makes his mark with a strong performance. The rest of the supporting cast is unquestionably effective but the aforementioned leads and supporting actors carry the weight for the length of the film.
Arrival is a unique experience and not only will it have you mesmerized, it will catch you by surprise and have you talking long after the credits roll. Denis Villeneuve went to work with a cast and a script determined to impress, and that it does. If you enjoy being challenged intellectually or can simply appreciate quality filmmaking, Arrival is well worth checking out. Highly recommended.
