Very High Anticipation Factor

Rating: 7/10 (15 February 2017)

12 elliptical spheres come to Earth and settle down in 12 geographical locations worldwide. All know they are UFOs and why are they here? What do they want? Are they friendly? What do they want? Why are they here? What do they want? Is there an echo in here? Linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and Theoretical Physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) are brought in to communicate with the aliens to find out if they are friendly and why they are here and what do they want?
We can be somewhat thankful that the US Army doesn't bring all their tanks and fighter jets to confront the Alien ships as we have seen in many Sci-Fi stories of the past. No, we see a more civilized approach, but Louise and Ian are as confused as we are.
This is slow-going, and we keep waiting for something to happen that will benefit mankind. Isn't that why movies are made? Ooops, my mistake.
Okay, long story short the Aliens are here to give mankind a gift now because in the future - in 3000 years - they will need our help in return. When you find out what that gift, is email me so I will know. One could say the gift is for the nations of the world to find a way to work together to avoid destroying themselves. You buy that? Louise does ask them how do they know the future? How indeed?
We see Louise struggle with trying to communicate with aliens who look like giant squids and we see-flashbacks with her daughter Hannah leaning about language and emotions. We also see that her daughter will die from cancer. Now here's the thing: those are not flashbacks, but flash-forwards. Did I lose you already? Hmmm.. Me too.
Notables who really don't do much in here because this is all Amy Adams's story: Jeremy Renner the love interest to Louise; (Hey, could this be a love story?) Forest Whittaker the colonel in charge; and Michael Stuhlbarg as Agent Halpern as an antagonist to Louise.
The Aliens seem to make a sound like whale sounds or was that the musical score? Hard to tell.
You see I don't buy any of this. Why? Because aliens who are much more advanced than we are would surely know how to communicate with us "in our language." Hey, I have seen enough Star Trek stories to know this. How about you?
What held me? Why the Anticipation Factor, of course. What will hold you? (7/10)
Violence: Yes, there is an explosion. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: I think I heard one f-bomb