It took a while but it has arrived on our screens. (Had to get that out of my system.) Multiple UFOs arriving at the same time around the world isn't something new on our movie-screens. Having countries work together to figure things out in their own way, that's different and refreshing. Granted, we're still focussed on the American approach, but at least they interact with their like-minded colleagues around the world to share information on how to communicate with the aliens. It's also refreshing that the normally hawkish military are more restrained than normal, leaving it to the more aggressive nations of China or Korea to adopt that 'shoot first' policy. So, it's not quite an alien invasion movie, but there are some interesting aspects and approaches to the narrative of having a pair of scientists, linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) and physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) lead the way at opening communication lines with the mysterious visitors. Of course, the patience of the military can only last so long, so there's your ticking clock for suspense building... as if misinterpretation of terms was going to be enough to build conflict. There is a subplot revolving around Louise, and Amy Adams does a remarkable job at conveying the stress combined with the emotional impact on her character regarding that. It's also contributes to the bit of a head scratching twist that comes up later, but if you go with the flow and accept it, it'll make sense, to a degree. It's all. A matter of perception. Suffice to say, it puts the movie entirely on her shoulders with able support from Jeremy Renner, Forrest Whitaker and Michael Stuhlberg whose characters either aid or hinder in the situation. The design of the aliens appear quite unique, but it's the design of the language that is quite remarkable, also ultimately playing into the mystery of the alien's nature and likely origins. It's nice that all this is beyond the conventional depictions of aliens thus far. Even with such dramatic thrillers such as Prisoners and Sicario in his resume, director Denis Villeneuve infuses the science fiction with a hefty dose of realism, creating a dramatic science fiction film that would rival even Close Encounters of the Third Kind. His reliance on natural lighting adds to the aura of realism while creating an almost dream-like atmosphere, thanks to cinematographer, Bradford Young. Villeneuve keeps the pace steady and engaging, having the characters drive the story without being overly brainy and still manages to deliver a solid piece of entertainment. He makes the unlikely majestic enough, allowing little snippets of information through just so to keep a viewer engrossed, and it gives hope to his next major movie, Blade Runner 2049. While some of the more sci-fi aspects of the movie may turn some viewers off (at least one friend has complained about that, having expected the movie to have had more action as an alien invasion movie should), it is an engrossing flick that deserves your attention. Directed by Denis Villeneuve Stars Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forrest Whitaker, Michael Sthulberg, Mark O’Brien and Tzi Ma Rating ****/5 Find the best online deals here. | Barnes and Noble | Google Play Store | Book Depository Discover more about the books here.
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