No, this is not an action film involving aliens, although you actually do see non-humanoid looking extraterrestrials here. The majority of the movie has a methodical slow pace and editing. It's generally just people having conversations, and a visual insight to what's going on inside Amy Adam's character's head. So if that doesn't sound like a movie you may want to see, then feel free to ignore this. Actually, I take that back. See this movie! Everybody needs to see this movie, simply on the strength of what it's all about.
It's hard to talk too much about the plot of the film without giving away spoiler details, but it does have an amazing premise of a movie, even if it borrows familiar elements from similar films of this genre. At times it felt like a recreation of actual events, with some moments of pure exposition, and educational segments thrown in there. Despite the lack of action sequences, I was still on the edge of my seat in electric anticipation on where the story was going to take us next, even if you might be able to guess where it was heading.
While the whole cast of actors are good in this, the movie is purely an Amy Adams showcase. This is her movie, and she is great in it. The rest of the characters are very much in the supporting category, and one could argue that their development was severely lacking, even for those who we are suppose to care about; Jeremy Renner. Besides Adams, Director Denis Villeneuve deserves all the praises he should get for this movie, and this might arguable be the most important film that he's ever made.
From the melancholy that surrounds Adams character, the fascinating mystery about the aliens' presence, to the fascinating world wide reactions from the event, there's a lot to talk about with this movie. Needless to say, I was completely engrossed by the story, and by the end, I equally felt a great sadness as well as a jolt of happiness, and I wanted to re-watch it immediately.
LOVED IT enjoyedititsokayitsmehitsterrible
