"Arrival"- A masterpiece of the Science Fiction genre. One of the best films of 2016.

Rating: 10/10 (3 January 2017)

Every so often, you encounter one of those rare films that reminds you of the sheer magic and emotion that films are capable of crafting and creating. And 2016's magnificent Science Fiction drama "Arrival" is most certainly one of those rare treats. An emotional tale directed by Denis Villeneuve, "Arrival" is an absolutely stunning exploration of the unknown- whether it be what lays beyond our stars, or what lurks deep inside of our own heart.
Linguist expert Louise Banks (Amy Adams) awakens one day to discover along with the rest of humanity that extraterrestrial crafts have begun to land all over the world, hovering ominously just off the ground, seemingly in waiting for something. Soon enough, she is whisked away to Montana with physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner), in the hopes that the two can help the military to start communication with the beings on-board. Through hard work and perseverance, eventually a dialog is established with the extraterrestrial "heptapods." However, Louise's own emotional conflict and the growing paranoia of the world at large- fueled by an increasing media circus- threatens to destroy all of the work done to create a peaceful communication between the two races.
The film is at its core a very character-centered drama set to the backdrop of a classic sci-fi alien story. However, the extraterrestrial beings here don't threaten to destroy the planet... their presence makes humanity threaten to destroy itself out of fear. It's quite clever and consistently enthralling. Much of the film's runtime is devoted simply to seeing the alien beings trying to communicate their points to our human leads with their wildly different way of "speaking." But it's constantly intriguing and will grab your attention instantly, never letting go. It's fascinating. Most science fiction films would rather spend their time blowing up landmarks while broad archetypal characters spout one-liners and pretentious techno- babble. "Arrival" instead spends its time blowing our minds over and over with its very real drama and shockingly realistic portrayal of "first contact."
The performances, and indeed the exceptional writing courtesy Eric Heisserer are what makes the film however. This is a movie all about character and emotion, and Amy Adams rises to the occasion with one of the greatest performances of her career. She injects such a pure, pained and sympathetic soul into Louise, and you'll be behind her completely throughout the entire film. She's one of the most compelling characters of the year, and I honestly hope Adams receives the recognition she deserves for her turn as their character. Renner is an exceptional supporting lead, and continues to stretch his acting chops, much as he has many times in the past few years. As much as I adore him in his more action-oriented roles, it's just so refreshing seeing him challenged in a more complex and realistic performance. I also highly admired Forest Whitaker as a senior military official who serves as our third and final lead, and he gives a good sense of both authority and sympathy in a role that could have otherwise come across as flat.
Denis Villeneuve solidifies his position as perhaps one of the most important and invaluable filmmakers working today with his excellent and expert guidance of the story. In every way his work is a revelation, and when combining efforts with the stunning cinematography of Bradford Young, Villeneuve crafts one of the most beautiful films of the year in virtually every sense- aesthetically and emotionally. His sense of scope, scale, composition and flow is just wonderful, and each and every choice he makes is carefully calculated to serve story and character in the best of ways.
In the end, "Arrival" emerges as not only a fantastic and stunning work on its own, but easily claims its position as one of the greatest films of 2016. It's an immense achievement in storytelling and drama, and its expert exploration of the science-fiction genre puts it on the same league as classics like "2001" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." Yes, it is that good, and I can only hope that the minor degree of backlash from people who have found it "boring" or "confusing" does not dissuade others from going in with an open mind. Because this film is pure cinematic magic in any and every sense.
"Arrival" easily earns a perfect 10 out of 10.