Nathaniel Nelson / Winonan

I honestly can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a science fiction film as much as I enjoyed  “Arrival”. The genre, though one of my favorites, has been volatile as of late. Hollywood blockbusters consistently land with an overly digitized whimper and indie flicks continually fail to get big. However, “Arrival” is different. It’s not just another sci-fi flick, but an introspective masterpiece in the vein of “2001: A Space Odyssey” and “Moon.” For a film about aliens, “Arrival” might be the most human film I’ve seen this year. Beautifully composed, emotionally complex and surprisingly poignant, “Arrival” is a current frontrunner for best film of 2016.

The story involves a linguist (Amy Adams) who is called by the CIA to help communicate with a group of aliens who landed in a Montana field. These aliens, dubbed Heptapods, speak in a nonlinear structure and write in a set of symbols so complex that one tiny change in the makeup will change the meaning of the sentence completely. Using a primarily visual language as the focus of a film seems odd, but it works perfectly. Visual metaphors are always more impactful in film, and crafting an entire story and deeper meaning through them is a huge accomplishment.

It’s not just that the story is well done, but it’s unique. It may use the same alien visitor template that films like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Day the Earth Stood Still” used, but it focuses on themes and elements that are vastly impactful. This isn’t just a movie about aliens; it’s a movie about humanity itself. The film capitalizes on themes of xenophobia and disconnected societies, showing a world that is together only in its disarray. While there are people who are working for a peaceful solution, there will always be those who turn to violence first. Playing with those two groups is what makes the film so incredibly interesting.

There’s also some real narrative depth here, which starts right from the beginning. While I tend to shy away from spoilers, it’s unavoidable here. The film begins and ends at the same place, using the same concept, which allows the Heptapods to speak the way they do. Heptapods exist outside of time, and they see the present, past and future as one and the same. To them, time is nonlinear. Now, the film uses that to its advantage by creating a story that develops outside of time. Things are revealed in the future and used in the present, the past may not be the past, and the present is connected to everything. There aren’t a lot of films that can pull off being self-referential, but “Arrival” does that in spades.

Now, let’s delve into the visuals: “Arrival” is minimalistic world-building at its finest. The Heptapods and their ships are simultaneously understated and beyond weird, which is a massive improvement over the typically overdesigned dumpster fires from the mind of Michael Bay. And that’s only the start. The color work is exquisite, with a soft yellowish hue giving the film a surrealistic dreamlike vibe. By not overdoing the visuals one way or the other, director Denis Villeneuve crafts an immersive locale and setting that is both comfortable and disturbing.

The most important aspect about the film, though, is that it uses the art to perfection. The story develops and unfolds at a bizarre yet approachable pace, with a last minute reveal making earlier scenes become un-definable abstract. This tiny late-game switch pushes “Arrival” from a typical sci-fi tale into a genre all its own. It’s surrealism through powerful realism, which may seem like a contradiction, but there’s no other way to define it. But the story, as told in the film, could not be as effective in any other media. The visuals, the shot structure, the pacing, the reveals, the interconnectivity – this is exactly what films should strive to be.

“Arrival” is a masterpiece of science fiction filmmaking, and one of the absolute best films of the year. There’s no way around that. Not since “Under The Skin” have I seen a film so interestingly complex and understated, and by saving the final reveals until the end, the movie takes on a form all its own. Indie sci-fi might not be a critical powerhouse yet, but it’s time to shift the focus back to the underdogs. 5/5

-By Nathaniel Nelson