Arrival

Science-fiction movies have become a lot different to what the genre is supposed to be about. Instead of asking philosophical questions about the nature of man, like we see in Forbidden Planet and 2001: A Space Odyssey, the genre has become another extension of the action genre with movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and Independence Day. Denis Villeneuve's latest movie, however, puts the sci-fi elements firmly in the backseat and focuses instead on the human involvement in an alien arrival on Earth.

The world plunges into chaos as twelve mysterious alien vessels land at various spots around the globe. While the public starts to question why they came and why the aliens haven't reached out, the militaries of the country that each vessel is in becomes proactive about looking for answers. Linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) is contacted by Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) to lead the team that will attempt to speak to the aliens. With her to try and interpret the answers is theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner). Lurking in the background is CIA Agent Halpern (Michael Stuhlbarg), who seems to make his decisions based on what the Russian and Chinese forces are doing in regard to their alien vessels.

It is incredibly hard to talk about this film in broad brush strokes so as to not ruin the film, because so much of makes Arrival great is in its detail. The whole theme of language that runs throughout the film is pretty fantastic because it makes the point of how vital language is to our culture. This is something that we take for granted everyday and never stop to think how everything would fall apart without it. Even the way the film breaks down simple sentence structure really makes you think. And if what I just said makes you roll your eyes, then you probably weren't thinking that this movie was going to be a two hour linguistics class, which it kind of is. Because of this, the movie works at its own pace and isn't hurried along in the way that other movies feel the need to. There was one explosion, but I feel like this was included just because the studio said there should be one.

The other fantastic thing about this movie is that it has a female lead who isn't overshadowed by her male co-stars that seems to happen when a blockbuster has a female lead. The whole way through, Amy Adams commands the screen and she doesn't get shafted by the male characters thinking they know better. Another good turn that this movie does with her is around her recruitment to the mission. Sci-fi movies have the trope of the team of experts being chosen just because they happen to be lying around, but here Louise has to prove that she is the top person for the job. Adams performance is also one of the best I've seen her give. This isn't a spoiler, but the film begins with a whole montage of her raising her daughter and ultimately has to give her up because she dies from a rare disease. This montage lasts a total of two minutes and really lets you get a feel for who the character is through an amazing performance.

The writing did have a few dodgy areas that felt a bit jarring. Once the film gets going and the team starts to be able to communicate with the aliens, there is a montage showing them learning the language with a voice over about their language. Instead of having linguist Laura giving this monologue, it is Ian, the theoretical physicist doing it. It just felt like a weird logical point not to have the linguist character not talking about language. The was line where the on site doctor bluntly asked Louise if she was pregnant. This does have a point in the movie but it was delivered in a bit of a harsh way and takes you out of the film for just a second.

I'm going to give Arrival the top score for its originality and ability to distinguish itself for other films being released in the genre. Villeneuve is able to focus on the human element of the film which is something that so many alien movies are unable to do. The threat in the movie doesn't come from the other, but rather those we are familiar. Also it had a twist that ended up making me second guess myself.

Sicario

Denis Villeneuve has made some great thrillers over the years, most notably Enemy and Prisoners in recent times, and before he gets started on Blade Runner II, he's going down that same road again with the crime-thriller Sicario, starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro.

The widespread influence of the drug trade is seeping over the Mexican border into the United States. FBI Agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) is part of a raid that makes a gruesome discovery in a house linked to the Cartel. Shortly afterwards, she's invited to join an inter-agency task-force to track down a drug lord linked to the various incidents. The force is led by Matt (Josh Brolin) and assisted by mysterious operative Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro). Although soon it becomes clear to Kate that the task force is entering murky ethical and legal waters as it strays across the border into Mexico, and she is left with a moral dilemma. 

Sicario opens with a brutal discovery which sets the tone for a dark gritty film. This is a story that can be at times confusing to follow, but which you're happy enough for Villeneuve to take you along with. It pulls no punches when it comes to confronting images of violent areas on the Mexican border (although this is more a result of our desensitized viewing habits) and actually manages to avoid the Hoo-rah 'Merica tone you might expect from the film. Sicario occasionally offers some sort of visual representation of good and evil, but what we really get is a dirty concoction of different shades of gray. Some of the characters arrogantly excuse their actions as a form of justice, but it's just an illusion. It's a film that lathers itself in moral and emotional ambivalence, which makes for some great plot development and suspense but at time it feels like it lacks direction.

This is another in a line of films similar to Zero Dark Thirty which puts a female lead into a war-like situation. The common link between these films is that the women are portrayed as having a hard outer shell which covers an emotionally-vulnerable interior. It's important to note that many other good war-films do the same for their male leads, however in films like Sicario and Zero Dark Thirty, the male counter-parts don't show any signs of fragility. Read into this what you will, the effect on the audience is the same; we see her as somebody who shouldn't be in that situation. It would be nice to see a more balanced approach to character development in these situations, simply because it can appear misogynistic, whether that was the intention or not.

Unsurprisingly with Roger Deakins at the helm, Sicario's imagery is absolutely stunning. The sweeping landscape shots give the impression of a living breathing landscape, despite being set on the dusty border of Mexico. The last act involves thermal cameras and night vision, which are handled surprisingly well, although the sequence itself does play out like a scene  out of Call of Duty. The sound design is also extremely well-developed. Low booming tones frequently vibrate through the soundscape, an audio-motif that builds upon the film's bleak identity. The overall presentation of Sicario is relentless, repulsive and somehow beautiful.

It's interesting how a couple of years ago, before Edge of Tomorrow or even possibly Looper, you couldn't have imagined Emily Blunt in this sort of role, and whilst I still hold some reservations about her character, it's difficult to find any flaws in her performance. Josh Brolin is more difficult to judge. I reviewed him last week in Everest and in both instances his character was "that guy played by Josh Brolin". He's an exceptionally good actor but for me it's difficult to tell many of his roles apart. Del Toro's Alejandro on the other hand, is almost as enigmatic as the film itself. Whilst you can piece together his story by the end, he's still a character clouded in mystery. I'd like to think that this was an artistic decision, but sadly I know it's because Lionsgate already have plans for a sequel.

The ambivalent emotional direction of Sicario leaves you both strangely satisfied, and at the same time unsure about how to feel towards the events, the characters or the movie itself. It's a gritty, gripping, beautifully presented but confusing story that is perhaps not as radical or unique as it could have been.

Harrison Ford to return for the Blade Runner sequel

Whether or not you are fan of the 1982 sci-fi classic Blade Runner (I personally don't see what all the fuss is about), you may be interested to know that Harrison Ford is reprising his role of Rick Deckard in a sequel.

The sequel will be set several decades after the original and is directed Denis Villeneuve, who also directed the Hugh Jackman/Jake Gyllenhaal collaboration Prisoners. Ridley Scott will be serving as executive producer on this film and has said that Ford is very excited about the script.