Vaults Villeneuve Into Upper Echelon Of Directors

Rating: 10/10 (27 February 2017)

I'm always impressed by movies that "go big" in terms of scope. I have a lot of respect for filmmakers that just "go for it" and try to make as nuanced of a film as possible in multiple different ways. The problem, however, is that it is a bit of a slippery slope. If done masterfully (usually from a superb director and featuring top-notch acting), you have an all-time classic. If all the concepts aren't grasped, though, you have a muddled mess that doesn't succeed at much while failing at a lot. Fortunately, "Arrival" is a prime example of the former, as director Dennis Villeneuve vaults himself into the ranks of Nolan, Eastwood, Spielberg, etc. with this effort.
For a basic plot summary (no major spoilers), "Arrival" is the story of Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams), who is recruited to a site (one of 12) of an alien "first contact" of sorts featuring odd cylindrical objects. Louise is an expert linguist, and the government hopes she can break the ice and decode the alien symbology. Paired with scientist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), the pair get to work decoding both the language and the science of this new species. Along the way, they discover that the aliens may be trying to do more than just communicate.
"Arrival" is one of the best films I have ever seen...bar none! It combines incredible acting, compelling visuals, and a plot that will stimulate you mentally all the way through. I liken it to a mix of two Nolan films (Interstellar & The Prestige) and Villeneuve's previous work "Enemy". There is not one boring scene in the film and each scene builds into the next towards a conclusion that will leave you quite speechless with wonder.
I could write for paragraph after paragraph about the intricacies of "Arrival", but I won't because it is also one of those films where you DO NOT want to be spoiled going in. I won't go so far as to call it a "twist ending" movie, but just the entire concept of the piece is best enjoyed with an open mind.
I really hope that "Arrival" garners either its own award nominations, or at the very least for Villeneuve, as it truly deserves them. Yes, technically it falls under the "science fiction" genre (that usually gets shut out come award season), but this movie is oh so much more! It can be enjoyed by everyone and easily crosses all genre/appeal lines. I may have just seen the movie of the year!