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Arrival

Arrival

Drama · Science Fiction · Mystery · 2016

Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat.

Movie details

Arrival

“Why are they here?”

2016 Drama · Science Fiction · Mystery 1h 56m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.6 / 10

Community rating

Taking place after alien crafts land around the world, an expert linguist is recruited by the military to determine whether they come in peace or are a threat.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Arrival?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Denis Villeneuve

Written by

Eric Heisserer

Amy Adams

Amy Adams

Louise Banks

Jeremy Renner

Jeremy Renner

Ian Donnelly

Forest Whitaker

Forest Whitaker

Colonel Weber

Michael Stuhlbarg

Michael Stuhlbarg

Agent Halpern

Mark O'Brien

Mark O'Brien

Captain Marks

Tzi Ma

Tzi Ma

General Shang

Abigail Pniowsky

Abigail Pniowsky

8-Year-Old Hannah

Court is in session

Put Arrival on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.