The Beauty of Language

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2017)

My sole complaint is an unnecessary montage sequence. That's about it. Villeneuve spreads his resume as a master of science fiction and drama, cementing his auteur status. This IS NOT an alien invasion movie. This is a movie about language and globalism, hidden by the focus of giant spacecrafts that suddenly appear in the sky. That sounds confusing, but once you see this movie, you'll get it. Amy Adams stars in an Oscar-worthy performance as a linguist tasked by an army colonel (Forest Whitaker) with trying to communicate with the visitors, invaders, scientists, whatever they are alongside a physicist (Jeremy Renner). From a cinematic standpoint, this film is beautiful. Beautifully shot, with a great production design, visual effects, and a haunting yet at times beautiful score. This film questions our place in the world yet alone questioning what it truly means to be human. It also questions what we do with power. If we have the power to change something, do we do it. I cannot wait to see what Villeneuve does with Blade Runner and Dune in the not to distant future.