The Arrival (1996)

Director:

David Twohy

Writer (WGA):

David Twohy (written by)

Release Date:

31 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Thriller | Mystery | Action

Tagline:

The greatest danger facing our world has been the planet's best kept secret...until now.

Plot:

Zane, an astronomer discovers intelligent alien life. But the aliens are keeping a deadly secret, and will do anything to stop Zane from learning it.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Scientist | Paranoia | Taxi | Seminar

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Charlie Sheen	...	Zane Zaminsky
Lindsay Crouse	...	Ilana Green
Richard Schiff	...	Calvin
Shane	...	JPL Guard #1
Ron Silver	...	Phil Gordian / Mexican Guard
Teri Polo	...	Char
Phyllis Applegate	...	Mrs. Roosevelt
Alan Coates	...	Terraformer
Leon Rippy	...	DOD #1
Buddy Joe Hooker	...	DOD #2
Javier Morga	...	Co-worker
Tony T. Johnson	...	Kiki
Catalina Botello	...	N.C.A.R. Woman
Georg Lillitsch	...	Computer Tech
David Villalpando	...	Cabbie

Also Known As:

Shockwave

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some sci-fi violence and terror, and for brief language.

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA | Mexico

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Netherlands:16 (video rating) | Netherlands:18 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | UK:15 (video premiere) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34593) | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Grove Street, Bishop, California, USA

Company:

Live Entertainment

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: The large black scorpion above the light switch in Llana’s room has no stinger.

Quotes:

Phil Gordian: If you can't tend to your own planet, you don't deserve to live here.

Movie Connections:

References "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987)

They Are Living Among Us and Preparing Earth for Them

When the astronomer Zane Ziminski (Charlie Sheen) receives signal from a distant star, he reports and gives all the evidences to his chief, Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), and is immediately fired. Zane becomes obsessed to locate the signals again and finds a transmission to the outer space in the same wave from Mexico, and he flies to the place. Meanwhile, the scientist Ilana Green (Lindsay Crouse) is investigating the unexplained raise of the temperature in Third World countries and also goes to Mexico for further research. They meet each other in a small Mexican town, where Zane finds that aliens are preparing to annihilate the human race and preparing Earth for their occupation.

"The Arrival" has a good story that uses the abnormal raise of temperature and change in the climate on Earth as part of a plot of invasion of our planet by aliens. Director David Twohy follows the same style of John Carpenter in this movie. However, there are two problems: the first one is the permanent lunatic expression of Charlie Sheen, who also keeps insane attitudes along the whole story, giving a total lack of credibility to his character. The second one is probably the budget, or a badly developed screenplay, with flaws along the narrative. Anyway, this good sci-fi film entertains and has a good ecological message in the end, particularly the quote: "If you can't tend to your own planet, you don't deserve to live here". My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Invasão" ("The Invasion")