It felt incomplete and disjointed

Rating: 6/10 (14 November 2016)

I am a huge science fiction fan, and I love a good story of any kind, so I was really ready for this movie after the big build-up.
there is plenty of effect driven magic (I loved the clouds rolling over the mountain edges towards the ship site, that was the best visual in the film for me), but I found the story was flat and poorly told, with lackluster acting by everyone. I get the plot device of the cut-always and flashbacks, but this felt as if story elements were being added randomly without regard to their relevance or utility, and the un-heard episode of the Chinese general whispering is frankly insulting to viewers. didn't we at least deserve to HEAR this additional irrelevant bit of trivia after two very long hours?
I understand the movie was cut down from 3 hours (and started out as just a short story), and it felt as if every possible visual effects ship scene (whether useful or not) was retained, but every moment when the plot or important information was revealed was left out. yes, I get the premise, language can alter thought processes and our way of resolving the universe. not exactly breaking new ground there, but as a STORY, one just has to say at the end, what?? after two hours, this is the end? I believe strongly that more thoughtful editing and script writing would have yielded a vastly better movie, still sticking with these same plot elements. however, this version in no way satisfied me as a well-told story with something memorable to take away. unlike 2001 or Solaris or Starman, this didn't leave me with any memories I will reflect on later, except a deep and abiding wish for a better told story if I remember it at all.
Clearly a watch once movie. for comparison I have seen 2001 about a dozen times.