Not sure why many gave this a high rating. Not worth watching.

Rating: 1/10 (26 November 2017)

The movie started off well enough, but I was confused by the ending and thought that the focus on the two main characters not very compelling. The guy who played the physicist did not act like a physicist. There was not much character development and the use of flashbacks was disturbing. And she was not that impressive as a linguist.
I am even more confused about why so many people gave this a good review.The discovery of the aliens language was not convincing at all. It seemed ridiculous. I still do not fully understand it. The movie Contact, on the other hand, showed the viewer how the language was decoded. It was exciting and the solution unfolded. And, in the end, I sat thinking, this is it? you have got to be kidding.
Also, the decision to use the linguist because she had clearance that was still in effect was ridiculous. It was as if the government had decided that one linguist would be enough. And the movie did not show interaction with the many academics that would have naturally been involved. She just did not measure up and was not convincing in her role.
And there were no other real characters in the movie, just the military guy who originally contacted her and the physicist. That was it. Oh,and the daughter, but even that was just a series of flashbacks and not very compelling. The other actors were really just extras on the set to fill up the screen - more of a distraction than anything else.
And I found the facilities with the plastic doors annoying and dismal. Made me feel as if the movie-makers used this vehicle to cut costs.
Also, the linguist's easy access to the alien spaceship seemed to be a bit of a stretch. She could just wander out to the spacecraft on her own. Sure, that makes logical sense. In real life, she would not have been able to get access to the spaceship without going through many security checks.
And the fact that she could just take off her suit and be fine was laughable. You mean the testing of the atmosphere within the spaceship did not matter? Why suddenly did it matter? And if the aliens came from 3000 years in the future, why wouldn't they set up an environment that was not lethal to humans. And it was never explained why a race of aliens so different would care about humans 3000 years in the past.
It all seems even more ridiculous as I try to piece together the movie in all its parts. And I am still confused about the gift the aliens were giving to the humans. The movie did not take the time to explain what exactly the gift was and how it was to be administered.
Also, the cell phone call was a stretch. I mean, to predicate the movie on a cell phone call. And it was interesting that she just happen to find a cell phone just lying around that had the type of clearance necessary to call a top-ranking Chinese general? And the guy whose phone she took would be constantly on it talking to all kinds of people. If he lost it, he would be in deep trouble. Why would he just leave it on a table? And what is the likelihood that she would be able to even find someone's cell phone lying on a table.
I doubt, if in the short period of time she had to find a cell phone to make the call, she could have every found one. The only way she could have made the call is if she had the help of someone at the highest levels. Sure, just pick up a phone and call the chief of staff of the Chinese army. Gee, I could do that if I only had his number.
And another thing, if these aliens were so powerful that they could influence her thinking and help he see the past and future, why would they even need her? And if they are so advanced, why wouldn't they just have been able to send a message or simply figure out a way to communicate with humans. Or simply prevent the disease or whatever was going to happen without even involving the humans (the prime directive?). I mean, if they knew about the calamity to happen to earth, they would have studied human language. If you can travel through time, communicating with an intelligent species with fully developed languages would be simple.
And if you know how the race of humans communicated, why could not just duplicate that communication? The whole premise of the movie is that the humans could not communicate with the aliens. If you can travel through time, I cannot see how you could not communicated with another intelligent life-form. So much time was spent on the issue of communication. Without the resolution of the communications issue, there would not be much left of the movie. I am betting the books was much more interesting and the film-makes did not do justice to the book. It would be interesting to interview the author and read the book.
And the acting was not particularly good. Amy Adams and the physicist had one mode of interaction and one mode of acting. They both just seemed numb. No laughter, no change of tone, no humor. Also, I thought that Amy Adams lost her daughter. That was also confusing. Did she later lose her daughter? Why did the daughter talk about her father leavings? Did he leave? It was never explained other than by Amy Adams saying that the father did not like what she was saying about what was going to happen in the future.
Do not waste your time.