Ambiguity in communicating via language

Rating: Null/10 (13 January 2017)

I would like to start with two very popular TV programs, both from half a century ago, that have some relevancy. Among the "Alfred Hitchcock Present's" episodes, the one with the wickedest twist on ambiguity of language would have to be this one, an aliens story quite similar to "Arrival", about a visit from mysterious alien ships. In that story, the aliens invite people into the ship for a tour. People's anxiety dissipates when they find a book of the aliens with the title deciphered to be "To serve men", which leads to the obvious conclusions that these aliens are benevolent. The wicked twist comes at the very end, when further analysis finally reveals the nature of this book. The three last words uttered by this scientist making the discovery are earth-shattering: It's a cookbook.
The other TV series is even mentioned in the movie, although indirectly: Abbot and Costello. This the name given by the scientist to the two alien creatures that they are attempting to communicate with. They seem quite random until it dawns on you that this is the team that brought to the entertainment world the most celebrated, hilarious "Who's on first base", a side-splitting comedy sketch based again on the ambiguity of language.
The movie itself is anything but comedy, opening with an essentially visual, brief narrative on the birth, growth and untimely death (lost to cancer as a teenager) of Dr Louise Banks's (Amy Adams) daughter. Then the movie kicks into action, although at a more languid pace than in other similar science fiction movies. Louisa, a language expert, together with Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), a scientist, is recruited by Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) to help out in solving communication problems with visiting aliens.
A dozen alien space vehicles have landed at different places in the world. They look like gigantic footballs standing on stands awaiting a kickoff, except that they are skinnier and in fact levitating. The aliens look like huge seven-legged squids. Human beings are allowed inside their spaceship and see them very much like behind the viewing glass in an aquarium. Various attempts of establishing communication culminate in a measure of success being achieved through using their language that look like round coffee stains left on a coaster.
What we witness happening in Montana is also happening at the other eleven locations with different nations that include the world's two other top powers. Predictably, political tension comes into play as some players are running out of patience and contemplate initiating hostile action.
The factual account above, I realize, is not too helpful on elaborating the philosophical nature of this unique science fiction that critics widely praise. With the intriguing theme of inter-species communication and Louisa's grief hovering in the background, among other themes (such as the meaning of time), "Arrival" clearly has more depth than "Gravity" with a single-agenda of will to survive.
This is Amy Adams's showpiece. With her easy, disarming charm, Adams has gained immense popularity. But in the proliferation of her work, she has never tackled a character like Louisa, with her silence doing more talking than her dialogue. You wold think that this would be a job for Jody Foster or Kate Winslet. But Adams is convincing that these two could not have done better than she did in "Arrival". Isabelle Huppert won Golden Globe and Natalie Portman Critics' Choice. But Adams is nominated also for BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild. I would be very surprised if she does not also get nominated for Oscar. Let's wait and see.