Religion, hard science and human nature

Rating: 10/10 (4 June 1999)

I read the book 'Contact' when it was first published. Both the book and the movie get a 10/10 from me!
The opening sequence, where one is carried away from the Earth on the back of radio waves, is stunning. Within minutes we have left the solar system and traversed the entire universe; then we find ourselves emerging from Ellie's eyes and realize that we are still right back at home after all.
I think that is one of the basic themes of this movie: the cosmos may be vast and strange, but ultimately everything important is 'in our own backyard.'(Unlikely as it may seem, and in no way detracting from either movie, I can see parallels to the 'Wizard of Oz' here!)
There are basically three sets of characters in this movie: (1) Ellie, who together with her science team and a mysterious benefactor, overcomes huge obstacles to achieve her goal of answering the scientific question, "Are We Alone?"; (2) Palmer Joss, who is searching for his own answers through God ("No, We Are Not Alone"); and (3)Everyone Else. While Everyone Else is fairly well-intentioned towards Ellie and SETI, many of them lack her vision and a few are downright hostile!
What the movie does make clear is that most of us are looking for much the same thing: Truth. By the end of the movie, however, the 'objective' Truth of science and the 'subjective' truth of God and spirituality have been irrevocably merged. Very thought-provoking!
As an aside, I found it intriguing that one of 'Contact's most productive radio astronomers was blind. Astronomy is traditionally seen as a visual science: if so, this film removes that bias admirably.
Whether you love this movie (as I do) may depend on whether you most identify with Ellie, Rev Joss, or Everyone Else. But I can't believe anybody still breathing would be totally unmoved by it.
Great vision Carl.