Top marks

Rating: 10/10 (15 August 1999)

Contact is that rarity among films, and especially among sci-fi films: an Original Idea. It is a fusion of a novel written by a scientist (Carl Sagan) who devoted his entire life to the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence, and the dedication and genius of a film crew that lovingly transferred Sagan's visions to the big screen. The result is pure magic - anyone who watches this film and is not moved must be devoid of imagination.
Besides being excellent science fiction (that could turn into science fact at any time), it is also a ruthlessly accurate depiction of the short-sightedness of government officials and mankind in general. Should contact of the sort described in the film ever occur, the various reactions of everyone from religious fanatics to the secret service are very likely to be exactly as shown in the film. This accuracy is no accident - as a scientist and lobbyist himself, Carl Sagan no doubt encountered all of these reactions in his own life. Besides being a fantastic story, Contact could also be viewed as a "future documentary".
Truly one of the best films; no, not just that - the best *concepts* of the decade.