Arrival

I thought this was an incredible film.  Amy Adams stars as linguistics professor Louise Banks, asked by the military to help decipher alien language after 12 spaceships land in different parts of the world, with Louise working in the US location in Montana. I think it’s so cool how Louise is able to translate and develop the language over time through communication with the Heptapods using her white board and physical demonstrations with two of the aliens, Abbott and Costello. It doesn’t hurt that the “language”, the aliens spraying a circular message, is visually striking.  We learn that the aliens have arrived because something bad will happen to them in 3000 years when they will need human help. They have the gift, or curse, to see into the future by experiencing time simultaneously, both present and moments of the future. They give this gift to Louise, who ends up bringing world peace after telling the Chinese military general and his wife’s dying words and explaining what has happened, and she also publishes a book for everyone to be able to perceive the future.  We realize that Louise’s daughter Hannah, shown in the beginning of the film having died of cancer, is actually a flashforward and that Louise ultimately decides to have a child with the physicist at the military base, Ian Donnelly, played by Jeremy Renner, despite knowing that her child will die young. It is implied that Ian leaves her because of this choice. At its core, the film is surprisingly very human, posing the question of living in the moment even though you might be able to see what will ultimately happen to you. It’s about love, relationships, motherhood, childhood, everything that we experience in the present and how we may perceive it to result in for the future. It’s a very cool message. The cinematography and visuals are excellent. The score is excellent. The story is beautiful. Amy Adams gives a great performance. It’s just great.