‘Arrival’ is the Best Film of 2016 (FILM REVIEW)

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It doesn’t take but a scene or two for Arrival to reveal itself as a work of art—something so rare in modern cinema. From its opening salvo to its closing shots, Arrival transcends both its genre and its medium to pain a vivid picture of humanity, warts, beauty, and all.

When we talk about humanity, we often like to speak in platitudes, ones which ignore bad to focus on the good or vice versa. Nuance is lacking in our discourse these days, and our opinions seem to be expressed through memes and soundbites so succinct that they’re rendered mostly meaningless. They get the point across, sure, but they never allow for any semblance of depth or shades of grey. The truth is humanity is neither inherently good nor inherently bad. We’re confused, frightened beasts lost in the wilderness of the cosmos, trying to reach some sort of understanding, to find some sort of meaning, and along the way of our collective quest for whatever is it that we’re searching for, things get accomplished. Some of them good. Some of them awful.

Of course, good and awful are in the eyes of the beholder. Factioned as we are, we tend not to realize or think about how the good we try to do can be seen as awful to another side. There’s an intrinsic lack of understanding—or even a maddening unwillingness to understand—perspective that differ from our own. Memes and soundbites are all well and good for rallying bases, but rare is the attempt to reach out and attempt see things in ways other than which we see them.

That’s the message of Arrival, a film that hides sweeping statements about the roots of our problems in the guise of simple science fiction. Of course, sci-fi has long been on the front lines of holding up mirrors to force us to look ourselves in the face, but recently the genre has been pushed towards the adventure story, giving us tales of heroism and suspense without bothering to lace in critique in the process.

Which is part of the reason why Arrival feels like such a stunning achievement. Screenwriter Eric Heisserer—whose resume, up until now, consists mostly of horror remakes and sequels—has crafted a beautiful, engaging script that explores what it is to be human with stunning depth and emotional highs. Based on a short story by Ted Chiang, Arrival is, quite simply, the best film of 2016 so far.

Amy Adams stars as Dr. Louise Banks, a linguist drafted by the government to help decipher an alien language after 12 spaceships land in various locations around the world. Why are they here? What is their purpose? The aliens, of course, can’t just tell us. Dr. Banks must work tirelessly to learn their language in order to understand, a process made all the more difficult as she continues grieving for her daughter, whom we see die in the film’s opening moments. Can she find a way to understand before the militaries of the world succumb to humanity’s darker impulses? Are they right to be afraid?

Director Denis Villeneuve (Sicario) uses the questions posed by Heisserer’s remarkable script to paint a vivid portrait, creating easily his best film. That’s saying a lot, considering the power of his previous work, all of which has been remarkable from a directorial standpoint. To watch Arrival is to watch a director reach the height of his powers, honing the lessons learned and momentum gained from the previous decade into a grand, artistic statement.

Adams gives the performance of a lifetime, holding the weight of both the film and its philosophical ponderings on her shoulders and carrying it from end to end. The sheer power of her portrayal is one for the books, quickly becoming one of those once in a generation performances that will be talked about for years to come. Through all of her tragedy, there’s a deep reservoir of strength within Dr. Banks that’s equal parts beautiful and inspiring. Adams embodies the nuances of her character deeply, conveying all the pain and hope capable of all humans.

The one-two-three punch of Heisserer, Villeneuve, and Adams is an intense combination that draws you in and refuses to let go. I sat mesmerized at the screen for two hours, unblinking for fear of missing some small detail, refusing to allow myself to do anything but soak it all in. The alien encounter plot is so much more than your typical science fiction, at least in these times. It’s used as a catalyst to inspire conversation which, in the end, is the entire point of the movie.

Communication is the theme here; all the plots and subplots hinge on whether or not a measure of communication can be found. Interpersonally, internationally, or interstellarly. What we so often forget in the quest to win the meme wars or obtain the best soundbites is that we still need to talk, to listen, and to consider. Nothing is accomplished without a willingness to do these things, even if agreement is never reached. The importance of communication, however, is that often agreements can be reached if we try. Arrival serves to remind us of this at a time when it’s most important to be remembered.

Arrival is now playing in theaters everywhere.

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