Finally! Some intelligent science fiction!

Rating: 7/10 (25 June 1999)

I love this movie. The special effects seemed to be there to support the plot, rather than to be there just to dazzle. The plot actually dealt with intelligent themes, especially theology which usually scares away screenwriters.
True, it's not perfect. I didn't believe that someone as young as Palmer Ross would be appointed to take care of the "religious" part of the decision committee, especially since he isn't even ordained. I could've done without the Tom Skerrit character and the subplot of him winning and then dying. And it was very distracting and unnecessary to have Clinton in it.
These are minor carps. And more than made up for by sequences showing that the first signal returned was Hitler. How chilling. Or the opening sequence which uses the powerful sound of complete silence.
Those I've encouraged to see it were disappointed for the most part. There were no big climaxes or explosions or zooming spaceships with overlords in cool imposing costumes. Instead they had to endure emotions, philosophy, theology, and science. The concept of thinking during a movie turned them off. To them the definition of "entertainment" is to turn the brain off and forget the rest of the world for two hours.
If this is your movie philosophy, you may prefer empty-headed but special-effects sci-fi extravaganzas like Independence Day. If you don't mind a science fiction film of a slower pace that offers riches to your mind, you'll enjoy Contact.