More often than not, whenever the idea of humans interacting with extraterrestrial beings is portrayed in fiction, especially film, the aliens are almost always evil monsters that are out to destroy the human race. Independence Day, Alien and even Under the Skin are good examples of movies where otherworldly beings are portrayed in an extremely negative light. Arrival is a film that taps into people’s fears of the otherworldly but does so in a much more subtle, more ambiguous fashion than many other films that deal with human/alien contact.

The director, Denis Villeneuve, is known for his precise and delicate treatment of the characters in his other excellent films (Prisoners, Sicario, etc.) and while he does imbue the human characters in Arrival with the same traits, it is astounding to be presented with a situation where the aliens, terrifying as they appear, are afforded the same treatment – the same definition, delicate crafting and meaning put into every aspect of what they do – that is given to the human characters in the film. But now, perhaps I am saying too much. Let us take a step back.

Arrival is not the kind of movie to be enjoyed by everyone. If you like explosions and horror porn and screaming damsels in distress, then it is not the film for you. This movie is for thinkers and those who are open to the idea of thinking. It is a slow burning, sometimes taxing deliberation on a variety of themes that implode within the story of the film when the premise is unveiled in the first few minutes: alien aircrafts have landed all over the world and the human race is in a great panic, using every means available to find out whether the aliens are harmful or not.

“Why are they here?” is the question that comes up again and again – emphasizing our fear of the unknown and revealing how we on earth are all very much the same, sharing the same thoughts and fears and concerns, despite being separated by skin colour and language. This is an idea that is reinforced in the way various nations in the film are united in the way they all try to solve the same problem (“Why are they here?”) while harbouring an intense distrust of each other; an idea that might be even further expressed in the presence of the aliens who are viewed as untrustworthy and terrifying – much like how the humans view each other – which, in a sense, seems to be a lesson that comes full circle by then end of the movie to say that only through togetherness, unity, cooperation and communication can any issues plaguing us here on earth be solved.

Communication and language are important themes in the film. Our protagonist, played to perfection by the always excellent Amy Adams, is a linguist who is tasked with translating the alien language in order to establish the meaning of their presence on earth. Language, like love and hope, is one of the cornerstones of the film and even as you watch and you meditate on what the film is offering to you, it is still surreal to experience that jolt as you remember that you are watching a sci-fi film. But such is the beauty of the writing and the direction and, of course, the stellar performance of the lead actress. As language itself can tell us much about a culture or society so too can films, as Arrival does, telling us much about culture and society – our very humanity, in fact. Watch it, if only to learn more about yourself.