ARRIVAL - cast design critique 1
Arrival, a science fiction film with a philosophical theme, based on 1998 novella “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang.
An alien invasion film that is different from typical destruction film because of the way it emphasize communication is the path toward peaceful deal instead of initiate a war with miserable ending.
The story is about the main character, Dr. Louise Banks, a linguist who specializes in interpreting languages, who involved in an extraterrestrial invasion mission. The aliens, Heptapods landed randomly on earth with unidentified intention. Because of the barrier of language, it was almost impossible to interact with each other. The fear of unknown have led to the involvement of Dr. Banks to interact with the Heptapods. Dr. Louise Banks is the main core of the whole story from the beginning to the ending. Every decision made by Dr. Banks will cause a dramatically changes in the movie plot. Her role is set to be a professional that willing to sacrifice her own life in order to prove that communication is better than irresponsible action. Every contact and interaction with aliens was full of unknown possibility included fear and excited. However, all the possibility had led her closer to the answer.
The glimpse she get was one of the fear and obstacle to her success. However, she is the one that realize communicate with aliens cannot be stop to ensure both species have a common deal at the end. Thus, the courage of taking risk have avoid war of the worlds.
The mirror character in this film is the extraterrestrial, Heptapods. Their arrival on the earth have proved that human is not the only species in the universe. Do these visitors come in peace or not? Why were they here? Although there are no action taken by the aliens, it cause panic among human that alter their behavior.
The nature of fear exist in everyone even the aliens. The glass wall in the spacecraft is used to prevent the direct contact with human. A threat or an aid is uncertain without further interaction and communication. The first step of interaction from Dr. Banks have ensure a continuous deal from both sides. In the film, the aliens have the same intention as Dr. Banks, they share the same characteristic, language is the first step to achieve consensus.
The effort of Dr. Banks herself is far from enough to be accepted by everyone in the movie. The physicist, Ian Donnelly and the U.S Army, Colonel Weber are the supporting character to aid the communication between Dr. Banks and Heptapods.
Ian was assigned to work with Dr. Banks to discover the identity and intention of the aliens. Ian is the only one believe in Banks and support every decision made by her. In the movie, he is the emotional support of Banks and at last the husband to Banks. Colonel Weber introduce Dr. Banks to interpret the aliens’ language and most of the decision made by Banks have to approve by Colonel Weber. Colonel Weber have to make sure everything his team done will gain but not loss. All these support seem inadequate but it will strengthen every decision made by Dr. Banks.
Arrival is a film that draws viewer from different perspective of view and it had create a different kind of relationship between protagonist and antagonist. The movie not only raises questions about the nature of reality and what it is to be human, but also the perspective of aliens. Dr. Banks as the protagonist of Arrival have guide the viewers through the whole story.
The flashbacks of her daughter, Hannah have increase the mystery of the film as it was part of Dr. Banks memory from future. The movie using a separate timeline to join all the characters and raise the intense of the story.
The aliens, Heptapods is a complicated character as it can be either protagonist or antagonist before their intention is revealed at the end of the film. The suspense created throughout the movie is the key of dramatically changes. The scene of “offer weapon” have create a climax and suspense atmosphere. In this film, aliens need the help of human to save their species, they will provide their language civilization as a reward. Both human and aliens may reach a consensus if the barrier of language can be solved.
However, the antagonist of this movie which is human itself have become the stepping stone for this peaceful deal which nearly destroy the civilization of both species. It based on the problem nowadays whether in society or between countries. The trust between countries is vulnerable as it have been restricted by power. In the film, war with the aliens can be avoided if there is no selfishness exist in humanity.
This film is based on a theme of “Why are they here” and it can be seen at every poster of the film. With this concept, it reflect the behavior of human that everything should come to a good ending that none of us will get hurt. If the problem can be solved by talking things out, should we? The film emphasis on the way we should communicate before taking irresponsible action and the way we overcome the fear of unknown.
The power of language, communicate and interaction are the linkage of relationship. The film quote a theory developed by Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf that states that the structure of a language determines or greatly influences the modes of thought and behavior characteristic of the culture in which it is spoken. This idea have been apply in the scene when Dr. Banks learning the alien’s language. The movie is set up that flashback of Dr. Banks come up more frequent after in contact with the aliens. After some times of explore and learning, she realize the true power of language and how it unlock someone true power mentally. The possibility to access future vision and manipulate it means there is no impossible in everything. Sometimes, it just depends on the way someone perceive things at different angle depending on the nature of language, altitude and mentality. One of the best lines in Arrival from Dr. Banks, “Despite knowing the journey and where it leads, I embrace it and welcome every moment of it”. The inescapability fate cannot decide the way we live, questioning when or how we die will only depress someone emotion. How we should live will decide a more promising destiny.
