A "Hollywood smart" film

Rating: 3/10 (8 April 2017)

This got hyped to me as an intelligent sci-fi movie complete with a consistent, rich alien language and real linguistics terminology.
Well, the alien language is quite unique, and I like some of the early setup, so hence the 3 stars.
However most of the movie is so dumb my eyes hurt from being rolled so much. I'm not exaggerating when I say I think Independence Day was more logical and consistent.
It starts with Forrest playing a recording of a few seconds of noises and expecting Louise to somehow be able to translate it.
Then, when there is the choice of linguists to take on the mission, Louise asks them to ask the other guy "What the Sanskrit word for war is, and its translation?". They apparently pick her on the basis that she answers correctly, and he does not.
Let's go through the things wrong with this.
Firstly, isn't (one) correct answer simply "war", by definition? Secondly, how do they know her answer is right, if only the most genius- y person knows the right answer? Thirdly, does he get to ask her a question? Fourthly, what does it prove anyway? It all only makes sense in movie- logic, where if person A is more genius than person B then B's knowledge and skills are a subset of A's.
You may think I'm being pedantic over one small issue but the whole movie proceeds like that. I can give lots of examples: Forrest demanding to know why she's teaching the aliens such simple words -- when she had just got started -- what on earth did he expect? Ian proposing that maybe the reason for the difference in air pressure in the alien's chamber is because they are used to a different atmosphere -- apparently no-one had thought of this. Writing on a whiteboard being tried before photographs or drawing say, or even a computer display that would at least make her type consistent. The kangaroo speech (using a myth to explain, well nothing at all actually, just something that sounded smart enough to Forrest to shut him up). The bizarre actions of the Chinese and other countries. etc etc No-one on earth brings a single good idea to the table other than Louise and Ian (and he only plays a bit role).
Then things get gradually more and more sappy and conclude with some 15 mins or so of flashbacks to / from her future life and daughter h a n n a h. I guess after interstellar people think this is a good way to finish a sci fi movie, but it erased any goodwill about the early part of the movie for me.