Wonderful film with a weak ending

Rating: Null/10 (15 February 2005)

Often it helps to let some time pass before truly assessing a film (or any work of art, for that matter). I viewed "Contact" again recently after 7 years, and was both impressed (as I was before) but more frustrated this time. The film does a great job raising issues regarding extraterrestrial contact, all enveloped within a very engrossing story. But the ending left me cold. Ellie had been set up to be a strong, articulate, bright scientist -- clearly vastly superior to the Tom Skerritt character. Yet after her interstellar journey, she's not only mercilessly grilled by a huge Congressional committee (the James Woods character was way over the top) but reacts like a spoiled schoolgirl. ("What? Are you saying you don't believe me?!"). I would have expected a much different assessment of her experience than that from the government, and a much more articulate defense from her. Nevertheless, "Contact" is an extremely well-made, thought-provoking film.