Arrival
16/08/17 Filed in: Amazon Prime
I missed Arrival when it was released at the cinema and took the opportunity to view it this week as it had been added to Amazon Prime's offerings. Other than the basic fact that it featured the arrival of aliens to Earth I knew very little about it. The first relief was that it wasn't one of these films where the aliens destroy large swathes of the world's major cities. In fact it is the exact opposite of that. These aliens have come to help us, because in 3000 years time they will need humanity's help in return.
The story explores the power of language and plays with time in a way that requires you to think quite hard about what's going on, and even then come away perhaps not fully understanding what you've just watched. As I've said, the complete opposite of the 'annihilation' movies.
Amy Adams plays Dr Louise Banks, a linguist who has previously helped the government, and who is therefore the natural choice when alien vessels appear at twelve locations around the globe. They are large pods that hover above the ground, and when we are given the chance to see inside we observe that the natural laws of gravity seem not to apply. But that's jumping ahead. Of course, the appearance of alien vessels immediately puts the military of the countries involved on red alert, although initially they are all working together to try to understand the threat, if there is one. This accord eventually breaks down with China in particular seemingly gearing up to take military action.
The Americans, on the other hand, are working hard to communicate with the visitors. Louise is brought in to help with this process. Earlier in the film we have seen her with a child, a child who grows up but dies prematurely. As she becomes more and more in tune with the aliens, having encouraged them to write messages in their strange hieroglyphical language, we see her having visions of her child, and at first we are not sure if she is remembering the past. But she isn't, she is living out precognitive moments of her own future. Her absorption of the language is rewiring her brain, and she is experiencing time out of order. This is where the science fiction element really bites, and for me it was particularly interesting as I'm currently reading The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time and the Texture of Reality, by Brian Greene which, even though only part-read, has convinced me that time is perhaps the biggest mystery that mankind has sought to unravel.
I also identify with the idea that language has an impact over and above just learning a new set of words. I've been learning French since 2008 and it is true that when you speak a different language you can sometimes assume a different persona. It's subtle, but I believe it is a reality. This film takes that idea to the its ultimate manifestation as Louise's feelings and thoughts are guided by the alien language she has absorbed.
Louise learns that her future child will die, so is presented with the moral dilemma of whether she should follow her destiny or change it. This is a central question that arises whenever the idea of time travel is discussed. As it is Louise follows her destiny, a choice that has ramifications for her marriage. Although, of course, her marriage is in the future. This is a film that really makes you think.
Louise does however make good use of one of her visions. A future encounter with China's military leader General Shang gives her the present day ability to call him, and in so doing avert the military action that he is planning. Not so much tinkering with the past to shape the future, but using the future to ensure that that future does indeed play out.
This is a very thought provoking film and I suggest you read the article at The Verge that gives a much greater insight into the film by referencing the short story that inspired it by Ted Chiang, entitled Story of Your Life.
I also identify with the idea that language has an impact over and above just learning a new set of words. I've been learning French since 2008 and it is true that when you speak a different language you can sometimes assume a different persona. It's subtle, but I believe it is a reality. This film takes that idea to the its ultimate manifestation as Louise's feelings and thoughts are guided by the alien language she has absorbed.
Louise learns that her future child will die, so is presented with the moral dilemma of whether she should follow her destiny or change it. This is a central question that arises whenever the idea of time travel is discussed. As it is Louise follows her destiny, a choice that has ramifications for her marriage. Although, of course, her marriage is in the future. This is a film that really makes you think.
Louise does however make good use of one of her visions. A future encounter with China's military leader General Shang gives her the present day ability to call him, and in so doing avert the military action that he is planning. Not so much tinkering with the past to shape the future, but using the future to ensure that that future does indeed play out.
This is a very thought provoking film and I suggest you read the article at The Verge that gives a much greater insight into the film by referencing the short story that inspired it by Ted Chiang, entitled Story of Your Life.