‘Arrival’ Delivers On Every Level. It Almost Makes Up For The Rest Of 2016’s Films.
It’s tough to know what to expect from Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Arrival‘. With the influx of these humanity driven science-fiction movies, this looked like more of the same based on the trailer. This even looks like 1997’s ‘Contact‘ in a number of key ways.
But what ‘Arrival‘ does well is send you on a compelling journey about how we communicate, which evolves into so much more. What’s crafted on screen is an artful piece that tugs at heart strings and blows minds.
Trying to break down the many reasons why you should go see ‘Arrival‘ is hard so I decided to list the four best reasons why any viewer should venture to see it.
Honorable Mentions:
- The Talented Direction
- The Interesting Creature Design
4. The Powerful Amy Adams Performance
- What Amy Adams brings to ‘Arrival‘ is the best performance from anyone in the film. Maybe it’s because she had the best material but she just eats this up. After ‘Batman v Superman‘, this movie, and the upcoming ‘Nocturnal Animals‘, Amy Adams has owned 2016.
3. The Stunning Cinematography:
- It was too bad Denis Villeneuve couldn’t get cinematographer Roger Deakins to work on this film. But I’m now sorry I ever doubted what cinematographer Bradford Young could do. Every shot took my breath away. The camera was rarely static and Young wasn’t afraid to take risks with the visuals. Credit to the editor as well!
2. The Beautiful Score:
- Coming fresh off an Oscar nomination for his work with Villeneuve in ‘Sicario‘, Jóhann Jóhannsson is going for it again with this score. The Icelandic composer has an amazing resume with unique scores but this one will stand out for sure. There’s a good chance this leads him to an Academy Award win because the atmosphere set with Jóhannsson’s sounds have never been better.
1. The Masterful Script:
- Based on an award-winning short story from 1998 titled Story of Your Life, the script for ‘Arrival‘ is unbelievable. Everything is played out with the right tone and it perfectly handles all the complex moving parts. Writer Eric Heisserer is known for horror movies, even writing this year’s ‘Lights Out‘, but his screenplay shows another level of craftsmanship. His work brought the whole movie together.
‘Arrival’ opens November 11th. Starring: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Tzi Ma.
Synopsis: “A linguist (Amy Adams), recruited by the military, assists in translating alien communications when 12 U.F.O’s make first contact around the globe.”
Do you want to see ‘Arrival’?
Let me know in the comments below!
