Great Film, But Too Much Drama For My Taste

Rating: 7/10 (21 February 2017)

When twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world, linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is tasked with interpreting the language of the apparent alien visitors.
Everything about this film is great: the look, the science, the acting, the sound. I especially loved how much linguistics played a role in the story, and how it was explained the various parts of language in thought, as well as the advantages of a written versus spoken communication.
I also thought the idea of the non-linear use of time was very clever, and fairly well-executed. I actually figured out the twist about halfway through, but that didn't make it any less interesting or intriguing. Certain aspects call to mind causality, and put them into question: could the Chinese general say and do things in the future that would assist in the past? Under a strict timeline, no. But yet, for the film, it works.
Which then raises the question: if the timeline is not linear, not causal, how can Louise access the future at all? Would their not be an infinite number of possible futures? By knowing of her daughter's illness, does not that very awareness open the door for her to choose not to have children and avoid all her visions becoming reality? Or is she doomed to "choose" a path that is the only one fate allows her to take?
So why do I only give the film a 7 rather than the higher number most people feel it deserves? Simply put, I found the drama a bit heavy-handed. As a science fiction film, it is great, but really diminished by the emotional aspects attached. And while those may be important to certain points the film is trying to make, it still seems like too much focus is put on them. This really brought me out of my enjoyment.