Arrival

Name: Arrival
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Released: November 11, 2016
Duration: 116 min
Rating: 81
Cast: Amy Adams, Forest Whitaker, Jeremy Renner, Michael Stuhlbarg

2016

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 52 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 1900 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 1900 Ratings

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Arrival

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: November 11, 2016 | PG-13

Starring: Amy Adams, Forest Whitaker, Jeremy Renner, Michael Stuhlbarg

Summary: When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team is put together to investigate – including language expert Louise Banks (Amy Adams). Mankind teeters on the verge of global war as everyone scrambles for answers – and to find them, Banks will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 116 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Kenneth Turan

Nov 10, 2016

Arrival is really Adams' film, a showcase for her ability to quietly and effectively meld intelligence, empathy and reserve. Read full review

100

Empire Dan Jolin

Nov 5, 2016

Arrival is a beautifully polished puzzle box of a story whose emotional and cerebral heft should enable it to withstand nit-picky scrutiny. And like all the best sci-fi, it has something pertinent to say about today’s world; particularly about the importance of communication, and how we need to transcend cultural divides and misconceptions if we’re to survive as a species. Read full review

The Playlist Jessica Kiang

Sep 1, 2016

Arrival, the shimmering apex of Villeneuve’s run of form that started back in 2010 with “Incendies,” calmly, unfussily and with superb craft, thinks its way out of the black hole that tends to open up when ideas like time travel, alien contact and the next phase of human evolution are bandied about. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Sep 1, 2016

Arrival is a big, risky, showy movie which jumps up on its high-concept highwire and disdains a net. And yes, there are moments of silliness when it wobbles a little, but it provides you with spectacle and fervent romance. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Nov 10, 2016

What’s remarkable about Arrival is its contemplative core—and, of course, Ms. Adams’s star performance, which is no less impassioned for being self-effacing. Read full review

The Film Stage Rory O'Connor

Sep 1, 2016

Denis Villeneuve ponders the ramifications and possibilities of a potential first-contact between human beings and an advanced alien race and comes up with a sporadically incoherent film, but also some interesting ideas. Read full review

Rex Reed

Nov 9, 2016

"Enemy" and "Sicario" were unspeakable disasters, and Arrival, the director’s latest exercise in pretentious poopery, gives me every reason to believe I have parted company with Denis Villeneuve for good. Read full review

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User Reviews

PatrickSousa

Nov 11, 2016

Just like Villeneuve's other films, this one has proved that he is one of the greatest director nowadays. The way that he approaches a common theme in movies is almost revolutionary.

50 of 93 users found this helpful5043

Avalord

Nov 3, 2018

After seeing Arrival, I understand my dog better. So for all owners of a young dog, the movie is quite worth your while ;)
Okay, this is a strange intro to my review but fits. The film is all about communications and different senses. And its execution is great.
The movie is a veryAfter seeing Arrival, I understand my dog better. So for all owners of a young dog, the movie is quite worth your while ;)
Okay, this is a strange intro to my review but fits. The film is all about communications and different senses. And its execution is great.

The movie is a very intelligent one that sells its seemingly impossible message quite plausibly. It's also a slow and quite movie. Those craving for lots of actions and explosions maybe should elsewhere.
And miss out on an impressive experience, of course.… Expand

4 of 7 users found this helpful43

BrianMcCritic

Nov 11, 2016

This is a brilliant screenplay with wide sweeping breathtaking shots. The more you think about it the better it gets. Denis Villeneuve is really putting himself as one of the must see directors of our time. I love this film my current favorite film of 2016. A

9 of 28 users found this helpful919

CineAutoctono

Dec 15, 2016

"Arrival" was an interesting, moving and very intelligent film, the plot was very good, and the exceptional development of Amy Adams was very correct and very passionate, this film is always loaded with emotions.

5 of 14 users found this helpful59

JMalik

Feb 8, 2017

the film was a little too long. there were some bore parts and some interesting parts. amazing performance from amy adams as per usual. it kinda sad how the film ends once u get the picture of how the main character's life and the aliens are linked. pretty damn original story but there werethe film was a little too long. there were some bore parts and some interesting parts. amazing performance from amy adams as per usual. it kinda sad how the film ends once u get the picture of how the main character's life and the aliens are linked. pretty damn original story but there were some over repetitive things on the script and some scenes could be edited in order to get a smaller runtime… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

DovahK

Jul 2, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Otra más que bebe en aspectos de la todo poderosa Alien, aunque esta vez por fin, parece que no tienen porque ser los extraterrestres los malos.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Hotpocket

Aug 8, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie brought me to tears. And not in a good way. Theres a scene where the girl knows she's going to have a child and she can see the future that the child is going to die from cancer. Fully knowing this she continues with the path laid out in the visions to have the child and watch her die all over again. This could not have been more bull----. Anyone who has lost their child from cancer or whatever, could never live that over again. NEVER. And you have the audacity to tell me that she's going to do it even tho she knows whats coming. Don't even feed me that bull---- story. Completely unbelievable and unrealistic story arc at that point. Who ever wrote this should be fired.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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48	#48 Best Movie of 2016
10	#10 Most Discussed Movie of 2016
23	#23 Most Shared Movie of 2016