OK, but not an 8.5

Rating: 7/10 (22 November 2016)

Being a sci-fi guy who loves serious, well-conceived sci-fi (e.g. Interstellar, Battlestar Galactica (new one), Inception, The Martian, 2001, 2010, etc.) I saw this the first week out. And given the 8.5 rating and the director's previous work (Sicario, Prisoners) I fastened my seat belt for an intense ride, but alas, I almost needed a seat belt to keep from sliding out of my seat during the late evening showing. In fact, my wife did go to sleep on it. OK, so does that mean Arrival is a boring movie? For me, no, I appreciate elaborate, fairly plausible detail to create a story with authenticity that increases its impact.
But, given my expectations going in (Sicario was a very intense, wild ride and Prisoners was also a white-knuckler) so I was surprised at the deliberate and ponderous pacing, which mixed with the disjointed narrative, never create any real narrative momentum--even at the end when it's time for a climax/crisis. By then, we're trying to get our bearings and decide if we care enough about the story and the protagonists.
So, I would definitely classify this one as for sci-fi nerds only. Not bragging, but I also earned an MA in linguistics, so I was familiar with the overarching concept undergirding the story, which makes it intellectually interesting but ... Still, I found it to be a movie that needs some re-editing and more oomph!