A thought provoking masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (10 December 2016)

''Human. I am human.'' said Louise while trying to make a contact with the unknown creatures that arrived at our planet. ''Are we alone?'' This is the question that we have been asking ourselves since we discovered that we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves – Universe. It knows the answer to all of our questions. If only we weren't so disconnected and distanced and if only we chose to listen to what it has to say to us, we would feel that connection. It is there. It is always there. It always has been. Our purpose is to find a way to make a connection and synchronize our minds and souls with the universal source of wisdom that Universe is. With the eternal lullaby that has been sung to us and to our ancestors. To find out why we are here. Maybe the reason that other beings haven't visited us yet is because we are divided - divided by languages, countries... We seem to come up with more and more barriers each day and we seem to be more and more distanced from each other. The Universe itself shows us the perfect example of Unity. Look at the stars and planets. Look at the harmony and the perfect alignment, perfect order. Silent power of united giants. Maybe the reason we still haven't made the ''first contact'' is because we are not on the same frequency. The frequency of Love and Peace. Arrival goes further than any other Sci-Fi movie. It is a tangled web of different topics: time, loss, the possibility that other beings exist, role of one's purpose, the mystery of life itself... But to me, there are three main topics that are beautifully embroidered throughout the whole movie – Love, Unity and Time. Love is the only power that we need. Only love will unite us all. Love isn't limited in any way. Not even by time. Love itself conquers death and it shines into eternity. Arrival decided to change the way of alien portrayal in movies. It said no to stereotypes. Why would other beings have to be violent or use force? No. That's right. They don't. They came to present the world with the most precious gift – universal language. A language that will unite, a language that will tear down all the walls that humans built. And most importantly, it will change the way we perceive time. I enjoyed this aspect. Louise was able to establish a connection with them. She was chosen. She was given a gift to see the future. Piece by piece, until it all came together and formed a puzzle of her life. Before it even happened. What would we do if we knew every detail of our lives? Would we try to change it? Or we would enjoy it all even more and fully accept every single moment, like Louise did? This movie also shows how much it is important to persist in something. Persist until we find out the truth. Persist until it all makes sense. Be patient and not give up. Because whenever we get tangled in the threads of life, we will find a way out. We always do. One individual can change the world. Each and every one of us is a part of HERE and NOW. And starting with ourselves, we can make a big impact. I've always enjoyed Amy Adams's performances and this one was absolutely captivating. Her facial expressions deliver all the emotions and transport us there. We are standing there with her, in front of those unknown creatures, trying to make sense out of it all. We are participants, not viewers. We experience awe, confusion, fear, wonder and relief. Like Amy said herself, Louise is very intellectual and instinctual. She is a linguist that has a great capacity for empathy. She represents a female character that relies on her intuition, her brain, her instincts. Accompanied by Ian (who is a theoretical physicist), she succeeds in her mission, that was at first unknown to her. The movie was gradually unfolding, it had many layers. Each layer explored a different topic. Arrival is a spiritual journey, it deals with so much more than we could ever imagine it would. It has a heart, it speaks to its viewers, it gives hope. It's philosophical, it's enlightening. It also conveys a message that knowledge is power. It deeply touched me and it really resonated with me. It confirmed something that I already believe in. I believe that we are following the ''invisible threads'' of life, that we are being guided. Guided to make choices, resulting in what was already meant to be. It gave me a special feeling and I know I will be coming back to it over and over again.