Overrated

Rating: Null/10 (12 August 1998)

I made the mistake of reading the book first, even though I should know that movie adaptations are never as good. And this movie is no exception. The book is deeper, more intelligent and much more imaginative. The movie is more contemporary and seems a bit dumbed-down. The climax when Ellie meets the alien intelligence is too short, and nowhere near as profound as it is in the book. The best part of this meeting (the revelation of evidence of God found in the number Pi) is completely missing in the movie. As a result, it ends up looking like these aliens brought Ellie all the way across the universe, but didn't have anything to say to her once they got her there. I still thought it was an okay movie, good PR for the SETI program, and more intelligent and thoughtful than your typical sci-fi or hollywood movie. Nevertheless, nothing new or profound is said about the themes that are explored in the movie; any first-year philosophy or divinity student would be ashamed of the discussions these issues are given here. At least the movie had the guts to address these themes of spirituality, faith and meaning in the first place, which is more than can be said for most movies. I would have enjoyed it a little better if i hadn't read the book first, but not by that much.