Everyday society is wondering when the aliens will come, it's an idea reflected in short stories, novels and movies. Just the fact of receving the visit of people from other space constitute a scientific breakthrough. The implications of communication, etiquette and approach goes down to a single question: are you come in peace?

Several directors have portray aliens like friendly, mysterious or a real threat to humanity. James Cameron “The Abyss”, Steven Spielberg “Close Encounter of The Third Kind” Robert Zemeckis “Contact” are to me the most influential movies of Dennis Villeneuve “Arrival”

Linguistic Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is been introduced in the movie as a mother and wife, she holds her baby, when she start talking, walking and becomes a teenager, until she passed away. She seems to be alone, even visually. Perhaps as a linguistic she knows how the world communicate, but she is unable to communicate emotionally with her love ones. During the emotional scene you can hear her voice over “But now I’m not so sure I believe in beginnings and endings. There are days that define your story beyond your life. Like the day they arrive…” Her nihilistic words are the vehicle to the arrival of a large group of extra terrestrial.

12 spaceships appear across the planet (China, Greenland, Siberia and Black Sea in Russia, Japan, United States, Sudan, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, Wales, Pakistan and the Indian Ocean. All the government of these countries are looking for answers. So they decided to bring specialists in several areas to obtain information about the aliens as well their intentions. Jeremy Renner plays physics professor who also works with Louise to find ways to communicate with the aliens.

Villeneuve develops an impressive environment, where atmospheric sounds are very important for the movie. The story encapsulate Louise character, close ups where she is with her daughter and open spaces when she is alone, in fact when she is in a group her position is always ahead differentiate herself from the rest. To me Louise connects perfectly with Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) in Gravity a smart professional who is grieving the lost of a love one, in the middle of a situation require her to develop a new set of skills and abilities to reach a goal.

The political tone of “Arrival” express how divided are nations in peril, but also able to work together when you take risk on your own. Governments set rules that meant to be broken just to make things right. Like in the The Abyss the government secret agenda presents them as the real enemy, not the aliens, which for the audience are friends.

The film is powerful and keeps you thinking about the timeline of the story, specifically when are we located. The experimental music by Jóhan Jóhannsson is a masterpiece, Bradford Young cinematography is engaging as well Joe Walker film editing.