It’s a given that this is a very good time to be a science fiction fan, but what kind of science fiction fan? After all, we’re talking about a genre that runs the gamut from bug-eyed monsters to existential musings. And generally speaking, we tend to get more action-driven sci-fi at the box office while the more thoughtful material ends up on TV. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule, such as Christopher Nolan’s ‘Inception‘.
The most recent of these exceptions is the latest offering from ‘Sicario’ director Denis Villeneuve (who is currently at work on ‘Blade Runner 2049’), ‘Arrival’. Based on what we’ve seen in the trailers (and some early reviews), ‘Arrival‘ represents a brand of sci-fi that we don’t often see at the box office. Namely, a less “blockbustery”, more intellectual approach. Something more akin to what ‘Star Trek’ should be than what it’s morphed into. But I digress. The simple fact that we’re getting a sci-fi movie in which the lead character is a linguist should say more than anything I could write here.
Paramount released the final trailer for ‘Arrival’, and while it does seem to lean a bit more heavily on threat of war than earlier ones did, it nonetheless emphasizes the mystery at the heart of the film: “Why are they here?” The trailer is included below.
From the official summary:
When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team – lead by expert linguist Louise Banks – are brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers – and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.
‘Arrival’ is due to arrive in theaters on November 11, 2016 and features an all star cast that includes Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, and Michael Stuhlbarg.
