A must-see for anyone who enjoys cleverly written sci-fi

Rating: 9/10 (10 November 2016)

Arrival is a science fiction film starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner. Easily one of the most thought-provoking films I have seen since Interstellar, it is a must-see for anyone who enjoys cleverly written sci-fi. However, if you are expecting non-stop action and explosions, you will be disappointed.
In random locations around the world, twelve mysterious alien spacecrafts touch down with unknown intentions. A special team is assembled by the US military, led by Colonel Weber (Forrest Whitaker), to attempt to communicate with the aliens. The team enlists the help of expert linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and mathematician Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) to help translate the alien language to figure out if they are here for peaceful reasons or to declare war on humanity.
Featuring clever and intriguing themes about the nature of humanity and our place in the universe, Arrival is a thinking person's sci-fi film that delivers everything you'd expect and more. Director Denis Villeneuve's creative use of cinematography and long shots inside the alien spacecraft is very reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. I think he's a great choice to direct the upcoming Blade Runner 2049. Amy Adams gives an excellent performance in the role of Dr. Louise Banks. There was never a moment in the film where her character felt unbelievable or forced. I highly recommend it to anybody who enjoys science fiction with something intelligent to say.
I rate it 8.5/10