Arrival (2016)
Writers: Eric Heisserer (Screenplay), Ted Chiang (based on a story "Story of your life")
Cast: Amy Adams (Louise Banks), Jeremy Renner (Ian Donnelly), Forest Whitaker (Colonel Weber), Michael Stuhlbarg (Agent Halpern), Mark O'Brien (Captain Marks), Tzi Ma (General Shang), Abigail Pniowsky (8-Year-Old-Hannah), Julia Scarlett Dan (12-Year-Old-Hannah), Jadyn Malone (6-Year-Old-Hannah).
Opening Sequence:
The Arrival has been out for some time, and for a change i'm glad i reviewed this film. Because it's an alien film, with a very different twist. The flow from the first Act to the very last. Films like this one should be best picture, but, not going judge what is good and bad. Remember films are all about the audiences, not the Academy or Award people behind the scenes. The people's choice awards are my kinda thing, because of the people voting for best picture, and so forth. Movies like this particular one makes you think. So please join me in reviewing this great film. It took me awhile to review this film, because of my very long list of films that i have to watch. Arrival came and went, that's the way it goes sometimes, but with that being said let's move on so i could go into the film'd perspective, because folks all films have it, that hidden meaning inside of the film. At least the good ones, make you think. This one just happen bring up something that is meaningful to human beings. To say we are alone in ignorant, at least to me it is. The thousands of plants beyond our system is something to think about. How many planets have been recorded? Ask yourself that question and research it. Why don't the aliens just land and say hi? Because as this movie put so elegantly, the aliens touched and warships throughout the world went into position. I know we have to be prepared, but why judge a book by it's cover. Granted the ships were huge, and they're 12 altogether. A bit Independence Day right? Wrong that's are problem, we always think the negative before the positive. Anyway, lets continue this below, shall we...
Review:
Louise Banks (Amy Adams) voice is heard at the beginning of the film, life events, moments of her having a baby, Hannah. A man holding a baby, it flashes to a 6 year old Hannah (Jadyn Malone), she has something in her hands. ( Louise continues the narration in the background while the moments move on.) Hannah (Abigail Pniowsky) holding up a drawing, she smiles at her mother. 8 year old little girl enjoying life. Louise smiles back. The moments continue, a 12 year old Hannah (Julia Scarlett Dan) by the staircase in their home. looking at her mother. Those moments continue in a hospital, in bed, a motionless young lady. Louise holds her daughter in sadness, the visual of this moment will forever be etched in her heart, and memories flood in.
Louise notices that her class today is somewhat empty, students absent from her class. She is a linguist, and a language professor. She begins her class without the rest of her students. She continues with the lecture of the day. Cell phones begin to chime. Louise continues, but cannot because of the interruptions. One student tells her teacher to turn on the TV. There are moments in life that makes you stop. Like on a train moving at full speed. Life is there but it's up to you to make that change, and get off the train. Louise moves somethings, like the projector screen behind her desk which reveals a large TV. She turns it on and what she sees is 12 extraterrestrials ships, long smooth structures have landed in 12 different parts of the world. The moment in your life when everything changes becomes a reality. (Louise Banks stops her narration, and the screen fades to black, on to the next scene)
"If you could see your whole life from start to finish, would you change things?" -Louise Banks-
"Maybe I'd say what i felt more often. I-I don't know."- Ian Donnelly-
What i love about this film the most is the beginning sequences, with Louise narration of the moments in her life. The fact that this strong woman had lost her child is heart wrenching. The girls they had with each scene did it for me, everything was told by the 2 min sequence of the film. Some movies, and there is a lot, sometimes it takes up until the second Act to explain what had occurred. That explanation is so important to a plot, story, especially like this one, which has so much depth. This film had so much going on from beginning to the very end. It had to convey her feelings, without spoiling the events that brought her to the aliens. The film needed to show you those moments in her life that were crucial to the plot. Her life was a circle of events which brought her to the real experience, which was those moments then her experience with something special.
"But now I'm not so sure I believe in beginnings and endings. There are days that define your story beyond your life. Like the day they arrived." - Louise Banks-
Time to the aliens, at least in the film was nonlinear. As far as time goes for a human being is simply based on current events. We get up in the morning and start are day, but everything is based on time. In the film the aliens communicated to Louise that there is a gift to humanity, a special offer, just like are race, we never see things between the lines, and the threat of humanity blowing up on alien hands is always in the background. The human race thought the aliens wanted war, and destruction. But all they wanted is to give humanity a gift. Simple as that, but to convey it, reveal it, wasn't as simple. Louise (Amy Adams) in order to communicate with the aliens, had to take off those CDC suits, and get down to business. She had to show them herself, then move forward without any fear, but as all things worked out, she continued without any hesitation, and it worked. Her mathematician, and partner, another great mind in the film is Ian Donnelly (Jeremey Renner). They were both picked to hopefully communicate with the aliens, which after she took off her suit it changed things for both the military, and Louise. Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) job was to make sure both of his best pics make it out alive, and the main plan is to communicate with them. Extract their intentions. But that wasn't the main theme of the film. No guns, airplane attack, or monster special effect or Independence Day like themes.
"We have to consider the idea that our visitors are prodding us to fight among ourselves until one faction prevails." -Agent Halpern-
"There's no evidence of that." -Louise Banks-
"Sure there is. Just grab a history book. The British with India, the German with Rwanda..." -Agent Halpern-
The main character needed to convey humanities point of view, and the aliens with there point of view. They even created a vast symbolic language, which she understood well. All the great minds, scientists communicated via computer to establish a link to the other alien ships. But Louise had the cards, the aliens communicated with her through her memories of her moments, those crucial pieces of important information that makes us who we are. The aliens view of time is nonlinear, meaning not everything is a straight line, it's full circle. Their perspectives are very different, they continue, and as we saw in the film her beginning was the end of the film. The start of the film was her life with her husband, Ian and daughter Hannah that died as a young lady in the hospital as per Act 1. So the end begins her life, meeting her husband Ian for the very first time. The aliens knew everything before it happened. That's why they were able to save her when those two military guards planned on destroying the ship with timed explosives. That's why she was able to communicate with General Shang (Tzi Ma) those crucial words from his wife, on her death bed. Only he knew, but yet this American woman linguist knew it, from her memories that was put there by the aliens. Those experiences led up to the moment they vanished. The ships just disappeared as they moved in certain ways, which opened up the very end which was her beginning to Louise's life with her husband to be and a baby to come.
Sounds like a great movie doesn't it, yes it does because it makes you think, and films like this is an out of the box type of film which is perfection to me. I would've gave this film best picture, not to knock all the other films, but it deserves it. Great acting, a wonderful story, and it brings in the reality of how people will react to the big question? "Is there alien beings?" The truth behind that question is answered, but it might be a bit complicated. The whole nonlinear thing sounds about right. What if we can just live without having to worry about time. Does it give us the edge on our lives? I believe the answer to that question would be yes. The time question is complicated, and i could go on and on about it, but staying on point and the review of the film is the main point. This film really hit that answer to that question. But those questions are all you, and not for me to go into great lengths, proving or disproving. This film was a wonderful tale, and that's just it, a tale of what could happen if aliens land. But the real story was the point of view of a woman with great challenges, and her choices that make this film very watchable.
"So, Hannah...This is where your story begins. The day they departed. Despite knowing the journey...And welcome every moment of it. -Louise Banks-
Great dialog to me is the start of a great film, these things are wonderful part of film making. To me the aliens not attacking the world is a huge sign of relief. Didn't want to go into it and say, "Wow! Another alien film with the aliens attacking the earth." It was a relief not to see the same old plot line on the silver screen again. I highly recommend this film, and if you're a alien junkie like myself, check out. Contact (1997), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Starman (1984). These films are spectacular in every way, it makes up true alien films, not the average warfare type of films. These movies make you think, some even are heart warming. Alien films either way are great, i'm a huge fan, but it's nice to see aliens not being the antagonist for a change, especially when they have something to give us.
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