This has to be the most overrated movie of the 90's.

Rating: 2/10 (7 November 1999)

WARNING! SPOILERS ABOUND IN THIS REVIEW
There are mysteries in the world which are completely unfathomable to me. And one of them is why anyone can consider this film to be any good at all. I have never walked out of a movie theatre, but when I went to see this, I was more tempted than ever.
It is true that it had a promising start, with the first alien signal being detected by scientists; but from that point on, it goes downhill at the speed of light. Apparently, it is supposed to be a realistic hypothesis on how contact with an alien civilization could take place. But for me the story is completely unbelievable, and so full of holes that they are too many to list them all... I don't believe NASA would ever handle things the way they do in the film, I don't believe the church, let alone some neo-hippy preacher, would have squat to say in how things were handled, I don't believe a terrorist could ever get that easily to the very centre of the most expensive and important structure ever built by mankind, I don't believe some rich guy could set up a secret spaceship orbiting the earth aside from the powers that be, just like that, I don't believe NASA would be so keen to discredit the tale of their chosen ambassador, especially having proof (the hours of blank tape) that there was some truth in it, and I ABSOLUTELY do not believe aliens would show up in a virtual beach with the face and voice of some poor girl's dead daddy. It is all so ridiculously contrived and movie-like that I simply cannot understand the general public's perception that all of this is "realistic", "profound" or "brainy". For me, it's right down there with Independence Day in those departments. And on top of that, it's as boring as watching paint dry. At least Independence Day was fun, what the heck.
Being generous, I rate it 2/10, for the F/X.