At least "The Arrival" doesn't fall into the car chases and gratuitous explosions category of sci-fi. It has some semblance of scientific reason, and some pretty original ideas. The vortex balls were an intriguing touch, and the gigantic satellite dish scenes quite effective. It is necessary to suspend disbelief on several occasions, but overall the film succeeds as entertainment. Having the kid along seemed like kind of a stretch as well. If you can look past the faults in logic, "The Arrival" is totally acceptable. If you are going to tear it apart for every little thing, then I suggest you look elsewhere. - MERK
162 Reviews
I came - I saw - I left happy
refinedsugar7 November 2001
I was a late getting to the theater to see 'The Arrival'. Then I had to go through the concession stand crowd. When I finally reached the theater -the screen was engrossed by a huge satellite disk and there was some guy talking. "Damn," I thought. "I just missed the start of the movie." It wasn't three seconds after that realization that I had another one. "This isn't the movie." It was a commercial for one of the large multi-billion dollar phone companies. Talk about false scares.
Some people have called 'The Arrival' a thinking man's science fiction movie. While the jury is still out on that, I will say it's not stupid either. It is however one more of those 'one man saves the world' flicks. Which are never terribly realistic, but on their own terms, entertain. Charlie Sheen plays Zane Zaminski. A smart, but soon-to-be paranoid astrophysicist who has the slithery Godian (Ron Silver) for a boss. One day watching the satellites some anomaly passes his screen. Suddenly the search is on. What was it? WHO was it? Not letting the subject go gets him fired from his job and deeper and deeper he journeys into the paranoia.
The Arrival is one part use your mind, two parts conspiracy theory. As Zane takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of things and find out who's involved and to what lengths they'll go to suppress everything. Soon we start to see elements straight out of the X Files. The story has it's own set of implausibilities, but things move at such a pace that there isn't much time to question them. Zane knows something is going on and the deeper he digs the more we find out. It's all about the ride. Could one man really stop such things from happening? Probably not, but that doesn't stop 'The Arrival' from being a fun time.
Some people have called 'The Arrival' a thinking man's science fiction movie. While the jury is still out on that, I will say it's not stupid either. It is however one more of those 'one man saves the world' flicks. Which are never terribly realistic, but on their own terms, entertain. Charlie Sheen plays Zane Zaminski. A smart, but soon-to-be paranoid astrophysicist who has the slithery Godian (Ron Silver) for a boss. One day watching the satellites some anomaly passes his screen. Suddenly the search is on. What was it? WHO was it? Not letting the subject go gets him fired from his job and deeper and deeper he journeys into the paranoia.
The Arrival is one part use your mind, two parts conspiracy theory. As Zane takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of things and find out who's involved and to what lengths they'll go to suppress everything. Soon we start to see elements straight out of the X Files. The story has it's own set of implausibilities, but things move at such a pace that there isn't much time to question them. Zane knows something is going on and the deeper he digs the more we find out. It's all about the ride. Could one man really stop such things from happening? Probably not, but that doesn't stop 'The Arrival' from being a fun time.
Underrated
Red"V"28 June 1999
smart, well-made sci-fi
Special-K887 March 2002
Warning: Spoilers
Intriguing sci-fi thriller stars Sheen as a brilliant but paranoid astronomer whose obsession with discovering intelligent life puts him at odds with his neglected girlfriend. He discovers a strange signal from outer space, but is fired when he tries to make it public. Taking matters into his own hands, he stumbles upon the existence of aliens that've already invaded the Earth and are using a sophisticated technological scheme to try and take it over. Brainy thriller abandons guns, explosions, and car chases in favor of actual science and clever plotting. Starts slow, but only gets more and more interesting as it goes along, with an effectively edgy performance from Sheen that's right on target. ***
They Are Living Among Us and Preparing Earth for Them
claudio_carvalho27 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
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")
note: On 23 August 2016, I saw this film again.
"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")
note: On 23 August 2016, I saw this film again.
Well Done Sci-Fi.
AaronCapenBanner5 September 2013
Charlie Sheen plays Zane, a radio astronomer who accidentally discovers an alien signal from space, that also has origins on Earth. When he tries to tell his boss(Ron Silver, very good) he downplays and denies the importance of the find. Zane then finds out he has been fired, and the tape he gave to his boss disappears, so now very suspicious, he undertakes his own investigation, which leads him to an alarming truth about aliens who are indeed very much among us...
Well written and directed by David Twohy, this science fiction film is a pleasant surprise, and Charlie Sheen is appealing and believable as the man determined to find the truth, and warn the world; sounds like a certain FBI agent from "The X-Files"...
Well written and directed by David Twohy, this science fiction film is a pleasant surprise, and Charlie Sheen is appealing and believable as the man determined to find the truth, and warn the world; sounds like a certain FBI agent from "The X-Files"...
Interesting premise--stilted script
jkbonner123 June 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I like sci-fi and while perusing movie offerings in that genre, ran across The Arrival. The movie has an interesting premise: we Earthlings are heating up our world by creating man-man (anthropogenic) greenhouse gases. Aliens arrive who have a way of masking their true bodies with a device that allows them to appear human. They can live in high heat that would be unpleasant, if not lethal, to a normal human being. And because human beings clearly do not deserve Earth because we're destroying it by overheating it, the aliens arrive to artificially heat up the atmosphere even more with greenhouse gases to kill us all off. One must remember the movie came out in 1996. At that time skepticism on a wide scale existed regarding the effects of global warming, which more correctly should be called: more extreme global climate change.
All this being said, the movie is riddled with weak points. First there is the chief character, Zane Zaminsky (Charlie Sheen). I first saw Sheen perform in Olive Stone's Platoon (1985) and thought he did a credible job. At that time I thought he might even turn out as good as his dad (Martin Sheen). That of course didn't happen. In The Arrival he plays a perpetually excited and fearful radio astronomer based at a NASA-operated installation whose mission is to try to detect radio signals coming from outer space signifying an alien civilization (SETI). Zane detects something that convinces him this is "the" signal and tries to convince his boss, Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), that he received a message from aliens. Gordian pooh-poohs it and gets rid of Zane. Zane being fired, he shoots out on his own.
Zane has issues with his girlfriend, Char (Teri Polo), who doesn't see the big picture like Zane sees it. Zane meets a young black kid, Kiki (Tony Johnson), who helps with his enterprise. With his jerry-rigged apparatus Zane detects a signal identical to the one he got before, except that it's not coming from outer space. It's coming from somewhere in Mexico. He shoots down to Mexico and bumps into a climatologist there (Lindsay Crouse) who also knows something's up. Meanwhile it turns out Gordian is an alien-in-disguise and sends two alien-in-disguise goons to destroy Zane's apparatus.
Zane finds the alien nest in a privately-operated plant in Mexico (it turns out there are many of them located in third-world countries). The company is supposedly involved in legitimate electrical generation but in reality it's generating instead vast amounts of greenhouse gases. Zane gets rid of the aliens in the plant. The climatologist is killed off by hordes of black scorpions planted in her hotel room by one of the aliens. Zane journeys back to NASA headquarters in LA and confronts Gordian and his goons. He eventually triumphs over the aliens and warns Kiki (who it turns out is also an alien) that their game is over and to tell his masters to send no more aliens to Earth.
Good points: I found the depiction of the aliens convincing as was the premise. Bad points: The script was wooden and the acting was mediocre. Summary: OK for a rental movie if you need a sci-fi fix. Not a $12-at-the-theater kind of movie.
5/10
All this being said, the movie is riddled with weak points. First there is the chief character, Zane Zaminsky (Charlie Sheen). I first saw Sheen perform in Olive Stone's Platoon (1985) and thought he did a credible job. At that time I thought he might even turn out as good as his dad (Martin Sheen). That of course didn't happen. In The Arrival he plays a perpetually excited and fearful radio astronomer based at a NASA-operated installation whose mission is to try to detect radio signals coming from outer space signifying an alien civilization (SETI). Zane detects something that convinces him this is "the" signal and tries to convince his boss, Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), that he received a message from aliens. Gordian pooh-poohs it and gets rid of Zane. Zane being fired, he shoots out on his own.
Zane has issues with his girlfriend, Char (Teri Polo), who doesn't see the big picture like Zane sees it. Zane meets a young black kid, Kiki (Tony Johnson), who helps with his enterprise. With his jerry-rigged apparatus Zane detects a signal identical to the one he got before, except that it's not coming from outer space. It's coming from somewhere in Mexico. He shoots down to Mexico and bumps into a climatologist there (Lindsay Crouse) who also knows something's up. Meanwhile it turns out Gordian is an alien-in-disguise and sends two alien-in-disguise goons to destroy Zane's apparatus.
Zane finds the alien nest in a privately-operated plant in Mexico (it turns out there are many of them located in third-world countries). The company is supposedly involved in legitimate electrical generation but in reality it's generating instead vast amounts of greenhouse gases. Zane gets rid of the aliens in the plant. The climatologist is killed off by hordes of black scorpions planted in her hotel room by one of the aliens. Zane journeys back to NASA headquarters in LA and confronts Gordian and his goons. He eventually triumphs over the aliens and warns Kiki (who it turns out is also an alien) that their game is over and to tell his masters to send no more aliens to Earth.
Good points: I found the depiction of the aliens convincing as was the premise. Bad points: The script was wooden and the acting was mediocre. Summary: OK for a rental movie if you need a sci-fi fix. Not a $12-at-the-theater kind of movie.
5/10
A cult classic prototypical brilliant sci-fi flick
ivo-cobra822 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The Arrival (1996) is a cult classic science fiction about a radio astronomer Zane Zaminsky (Charlie Sheen) who discovers evidence of intelligent alien life and quickly gets thrown into the middle of a conspiracy that turns his life upside down. It was written and directed by David Twohy who also written and directed Riddick trilogy with Vin Diesel (Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick & Riddick) who I wasn't fan off and I never cared about but Pitch Black was an okay film. The Arrival is my favorite David Twohy film and the best of Charlie Sheen movie ever. It come out the same year as Independence Day (1996)and The X-Files Season 3 was completed.
It is a brilliant science fiction thriller film about a extraterrestrial intelligence and a global conspiracy. The acting in this film from Charlie Sheen and Ron Silver is brilliant I love this movie to death I love it!
to me this this movie is an easy 8 and it is a prototypical "good" science fiction thriller movie -- intense, perfectly executed, original plot no copycat, shown to the tune of a forgettable and occasionally insulting story.
Plot: Radio astronomer Zane Zaminsky (Charlie Sheen) believes he's picked up a cosmic noise that signals extraterrestrial intelligence. But after turning over the tape to his boss Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), Zane's fired, his girlfriend (Teri Polo) get's transferred and his partner is found dead from a supposed suicide. Zane's desperate search for answers leads him to Mexico and a mysterious power plant that is generating more than electricity and is run by people who are not what to appear to be. Arrested for the murder of a scientist (Lindsay Crouse) investigating and impending ecological disaster, Zane's escape custody carrying proof of a world-shattering alien invasion in this intense sci-fi thriller.
I first saw this movie on a cable when I was in high school. I did not recognize Charlie Sheen with a beard watching this movie it quickly become my favorite Alien film. To me Independence Day, Alien and Aliens alongside The Arrival are my top 4 favorite extraterrestrial intelligence films. The story is solid and acting is solid.
Also to me this movie is disturbing and terrifying on the end when Zane try to expose Aliens secret with the satellite dish Zane and Char are trapped in that station and first I thought Char betrayed Zane but it turned out it was Kiki (Tony T. Johnson) who betrayed Zane. Charlie Sheen makes such a terrifying face when Char asks him what will they do. The scene was terrifying when Ron Silver was preparing to kill them both so they hit with the van in the station and Zane froze them all.
The aliens are raising temperatures so that the weathers are hot they are feeding with our energy. I also watched the sequel Arrival II (1998) with Patrick Muldoon in which Zane character is dead in which to me is pretty stupid! I love this movie to death I can't give this movie a 10 it is not a perfect movie the greatest or the best one but it is a good movie my favorite Charlie Sheen movie I got today on Blu-ray and I just finished watching it and i was blown away I love it. 8/10.
The Arrival is a 1996 science fiction horror film directed by David Twohy and starring Charlie Sheen, and co-starring Lindsay Crouse, Ron Silver, Teri Polo, and Richard Schiff.
8/10 Grade: B+ Studio: Orion Pictures Starring: Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Crouse, Teri Polo, Ron Silver, Leon Rippy, Richard Schiff Director: David Twohy Producers: Robert W. Cort, Ted Field Writer: David Twohy Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 1Hr. 55 Mins. Budget: $25.000.000 Box Office: $14,012,411
It is a brilliant science fiction thriller film about a extraterrestrial intelligence and a global conspiracy. The acting in this film from Charlie Sheen and Ron Silver is brilliant I love this movie to death I love it!
to me this this movie is an easy 8 and it is a prototypical "good" science fiction thriller movie -- intense, perfectly executed, original plot no copycat, shown to the tune of a forgettable and occasionally insulting story.
Plot: Radio astronomer Zane Zaminsky (Charlie Sheen) believes he's picked up a cosmic noise that signals extraterrestrial intelligence. But after turning over the tape to his boss Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), Zane's fired, his girlfriend (Teri Polo) get's transferred and his partner is found dead from a supposed suicide. Zane's desperate search for answers leads him to Mexico and a mysterious power plant that is generating more than electricity and is run by people who are not what to appear to be. Arrested for the murder of a scientist (Lindsay Crouse) investigating and impending ecological disaster, Zane's escape custody carrying proof of a world-shattering alien invasion in this intense sci-fi thriller.
I first saw this movie on a cable when I was in high school. I did not recognize Charlie Sheen with a beard watching this movie it quickly become my favorite Alien film. To me Independence Day, Alien and Aliens alongside The Arrival are my top 4 favorite extraterrestrial intelligence films. The story is solid and acting is solid.
Also to me this movie is disturbing and terrifying on the end when Zane try to expose Aliens secret with the satellite dish Zane and Char are trapped in that station and first I thought Char betrayed Zane but it turned out it was Kiki (Tony T. Johnson) who betrayed Zane. Charlie Sheen makes such a terrifying face when Char asks him what will they do. The scene was terrifying when Ron Silver was preparing to kill them both so they hit with the van in the station and Zane froze them all.
The aliens are raising temperatures so that the weathers are hot they are feeding with our energy. I also watched the sequel Arrival II (1998) with Patrick Muldoon in which Zane character is dead in which to me is pretty stupid! I love this movie to death I can't give this movie a 10 it is not a perfect movie the greatest or the best one but it is a good movie my favorite Charlie Sheen movie I got today on Blu-ray and I just finished watching it and i was blown away I love it. 8/10.
The Arrival is a 1996 science fiction horror film directed by David Twohy and starring Charlie Sheen, and co-starring Lindsay Crouse, Ron Silver, Teri Polo, and Richard Schiff.
8/10 Grade: B+ Studio: Orion Pictures Starring: Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Crouse, Teri Polo, Ron Silver, Leon Rippy, Richard Schiff Director: David Twohy Producers: Robert W. Cort, Ted Field Writer: David Twohy Rated: PG-13 Running Time: 1Hr. 55 Mins. Budget: $25.000.000 Box Office: $14,012,411
Intriguing as well as intelligent Sci-fi movie about a dark extraterrestrial invasion
ma-cortes29 August 2013
Thrilling film about mysterious events spread across the planet , being compellingly directed by nice filmmaker David Twohy . This is a mix of thrills , action , adventure , intrigue and extraterrestrial invasion of world doom and gloom ; add to that a really magnificent cast . The greatest danger facing our world has been the planet's best kept secret...until now . Zane (Charlie Sheen), an astronomer discovers intelligent alien life , as he picks up strange signals from outer space . Eerily soon after his discovery , Zane is fired by his boss (Ron Silver) . As strange sudden incidents altering life of an astronomer , leaving them stranded with no line of communication on a location in Mexico . But the aliens are keeping a deadly secret , and will do anything to stop Zane and his fiancée (Teri Polo) from learning it . Zane gathers evidence to support this theory but there are several enemies go after him .
This is a science fiction thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat . Exciting film packs intrigue , intense scenes , noisy action and astonishing suspense . The picture follows the wake of the 8os and 90s in ¨X file¨ style and invasion mania . Passable acting by Charlie Sheen as a radio astronomer who receives signal from a far planet , and gorgeous Teri Polo as his girlfriend . Enjoyable support cast , such as Richard Schiff as his best friend and assistant , Ron Silver as a nasty chief , Lindsay Crouse as a curious scientific , Leon Rippy as a hoodlum , among others . Appropriate and suspenseful musical score by Arthur Kempel . Atmospheric and colorful cinematography by Hiro Narita .
The motion picture was well written and directed by David Twohy . David is an expert writer and director of splendid Sci-Fi movies . As his first picture was the acceptable ¨Timescape¨ . He also wrote ¨Warlock¨, ¨Waterworld ¨, a script for ¨Alien 3¨ in 1988, but it was rejected . Back in May of 2000, Fox Studios once inquired for his availability to write and direct "AVP: Alien vs. Predator" , but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts . David subsequently directed ¨Below¨, the successful ¨Pich Black¨ and its sequel ¨ The chronicles of Riddick¨ .
This is a science fiction thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat . Exciting film packs intrigue , intense scenes , noisy action and astonishing suspense . The picture follows the wake of the 8os and 90s in ¨X file¨ style and invasion mania . Passable acting by Charlie Sheen as a radio astronomer who receives signal from a far planet , and gorgeous Teri Polo as his girlfriend . Enjoyable support cast , such as Richard Schiff as his best friend and assistant , Ron Silver as a nasty chief , Lindsay Crouse as a curious scientific , Leon Rippy as a hoodlum , among others . Appropriate and suspenseful musical score by Arthur Kempel . Atmospheric and colorful cinematography by Hiro Narita .
The motion picture was well written and directed by David Twohy . David is an expert writer and director of splendid Sci-Fi movies . As his first picture was the acceptable ¨Timescape¨ . He also wrote ¨Warlock¨, ¨Waterworld ¨, a script for ¨Alien 3¨ in 1988, but it was rejected . Back in May of 2000, Fox Studios once inquired for his availability to write and direct "AVP: Alien vs. Predator" , but turned down the offer due to scheduling conflicts . David subsequently directed ¨Below¨, the successful ¨Pich Black¨ and its sequel ¨ The chronicles of Riddick¨ .
More curious and thought provoking than the movie, is the fact the anyone liked this waste of celluloid.
ians8710 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
C. Sheen's character gets laid off within a day of discovering a SETI-like signal; he expects his girlfriend, who obviously doesn't give a hoot about his work, to be interested...she isn't. He buys lots of gear, gets a job doing satellite installs and secretly wires the customers dishes into an array so he may continue his work. I think C. Sheen was on amphetamines or something like that for this 'performance'; the overacting was laughable. I wanted to like the movie but couldn't pull it off. The dialog was fairly stupid as was the annoying kid who hangs around Mr. Sheen's apt. Sheen's colleague and a woman he meets while investigating are both murdered but old Zaminski (Sheen) is allowed to wander around breaching security at JPL and an installation in Mexico, unscathed. The Mexico installation was interesting but not enough to warrant seeing the movie. This movie had potential...just too bad it was thrown together haphazardly.
A very intense film
baumer26 July 1999
Warning: Spoilers
What makes The Arrival so good is that it's paranoia could be real. Where as scientists tell us that global warming is the result of smokestacks and deforestization and factories, this film has other ideas. And the ones that are in here are a little more frightening than what the scientists think. Think for one second all that has happened over the last decade or so. Think of all the ecological changes that we are facing right now. These crisis are all a result of our greed and our industrializaton, which in a way can be a euphanism of greed. And this film takes all that we know about ozones and animal extinction and global warming and such and puts its own little spin on it. What if a species that is greater than us has looked at what we are and decided that we are too stupid to take care of our own planet so they will take it away from us. After all, according to the theories that this movie subscribes to, we are wasting and destroying this planet anyway, why not speed up the process?
Charlie Sheen stars as an astronomer who thinks he hears a definitive signal from outer space. But when he brings it to his boss he learns that due to budget cut backs his department is being eliminated. So his signal theory falls on deaf ears. But from here on out the movie becomes almost Hitchcockian in the way that you have a character that knows something that no one will believe, not his superiors, not his girlfriend, not even his friends. And so it is up to him to try and find a way to convince everyone that he is not crazy and that he is telling the truth. And what makes this film work so well is two things really. The first being the story that was written David Twohy. He also wrote The Fugitve so we know right away he is a good writer. Here he has some excellent characters and crisp dialogue for them to speak. The script is a real positive here. But the second thing about this film that really makes it work is the portrayal that Sheen gives of Zane. Sheen always looks confused and amazed at the same time. He can't believe what it is that he has uncovered and his expressions and his mannerisms really do his character justice. I can honestly say that the last time I saw fear like this from anyone that saw aliens first hand was in James Cameron's incredible 1986 film Aliens. It has taken ten years for someone else to get an actor to show true fear when it comes to the subject of ETs. Most films have the stars crack clever jokes about the aliens that they are meeting for the first time. They rarely show fear but in The Arrival, Sheen is always afraid. He is never shown as anything more than a normal human being that has uncovered an ugly truth about the true agenda of what the aliens are realy up to. His performance is one of the best things about this film.
The Arrival is intense. It doesn't stop for a breather too often and it is very intelligent. It has interesting opinions and it also makes you question our own intentions when it comes to the well being of our planet. Most people passed this one over when it came out because Independence Day came out a mere month later, but as good as ID4 was, this is a different kind of movie. It is more serious and has an opinion on some very political issues. It never runs out of steam and it is very entertaining. I highly recommend that you give it a chance.
Charlie Sheen stars as an astronomer who thinks he hears a definitive signal from outer space. But when he brings it to his boss he learns that due to budget cut backs his department is being eliminated. So his signal theory falls on deaf ears. But from here on out the movie becomes almost Hitchcockian in the way that you have a character that knows something that no one will believe, not his superiors, not his girlfriend, not even his friends. And so it is up to him to try and find a way to convince everyone that he is not crazy and that he is telling the truth. And what makes this film work so well is two things really. The first being the story that was written David Twohy. He also wrote The Fugitve so we know right away he is a good writer. Here he has some excellent characters and crisp dialogue for them to speak. The script is a real positive here. But the second thing about this film that really makes it work is the portrayal that Sheen gives of Zane. Sheen always looks confused and amazed at the same time. He can't believe what it is that he has uncovered and his expressions and his mannerisms really do his character justice. I can honestly say that the last time I saw fear like this from anyone that saw aliens first hand was in James Cameron's incredible 1986 film Aliens. It has taken ten years for someone else to get an actor to show true fear when it comes to the subject of ETs. Most films have the stars crack clever jokes about the aliens that they are meeting for the first time. They rarely show fear but in The Arrival, Sheen is always afraid. He is never shown as anything more than a normal human being that has uncovered an ugly truth about the true agenda of what the aliens are realy up to. His performance is one of the best things about this film.
The Arrival is intense. It doesn't stop for a breather too often and it is very intelligent. It has interesting opinions and it also makes you question our own intentions when it comes to the well being of our planet. Most people passed this one over when it came out because Independence Day came out a mere month later, but as good as ID4 was, this is a different kind of movie. It is more serious and has an opinion on some very political issues. It never runs out of steam and it is very entertaining. I highly recommend that you give it a chance.
Doesn't deserve the hate
df420512 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Let me say I'm a big sci-fi fan. I remember this movie coming out and getting slammed with horrible reviews. Critics and audiences alike seemed to revile this movie. I avoided it for several decades, only finally sitting down to watch it for the first time recently. My question is...Why? Why the hate? Why the revulsion? Is it the greatest movie ever? Certainly not. Is it deserving of all the hate it got? I don't think so honestly. Again, it's certainly no Oscar winner, but I've seen way worse stuff than this. The good parts? I liked the build up of the conspiracy and the tension made about who Charlie could trust and so on, and how he was being betrayed, set-up, etc. Surprisingly for a Sci-Fi movie I found the tension quite effective enough to keep me going. If it hadn't been sci-fi involving aliens, it would probably have been regarded as a decent thriller/suspense movie. Now the bad stuff. It could have just as easily been called "Charlie Sheen: The Movie". There seems to be very few times when he isn't constantly on screen, being the center of attention. Granted he's the main character, but it just had a whiff of "I'm the most important actor in the universe" behind it. Yes there was his work buddy, his gf/wife, the lady scientist...but they seemed practically non-existent for the most part, allowing for no interest/attachment/investment in their characters. And frankly, Charlie wasn't at his best here...if he had a best. Charlie just always seemed on the edge of boredom or complete apathy sometimes. When certain people die, get injured, or during the tense trek through the alien compound/ship he just didn't sell any of the emotions that should have accompanied these scenes. The movie certainly had some pacing issues, particularly once Charlie is in Mexico and the lady scientist comes into the picture, but while taxing it wasn't 'grueling'. I've heard people talk about the bad effects of the aliens, but honestly, for the time period...I don't think they were that horrendous, I've seen better, and I've seen worse. Had I seen this back when it came out I probably would have actually considered it a very decent movie, but as it stands...I still think its acceptable and might actually find myself sitting down for a second go through.
Bad haircut, bad goatee, bad glasses, bad lines...
nearvanaman5 October 2001
Title: The Arrival; Genre: Sci-Fi; Certificate: 15; Year: 1996; Director: David N Twohy
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Teri Polo, Ron Silver
With the renaissance of science fiction, (similar to the brief rebirth of westerns recently), there are many frustrated script writers only too eager to share their visions of alien invasions and futuristic apocalypse. This has lead to recent movies like "Strange Days", "Independence Day" and "The Arrival".
Charlie Sheen, who has slipped into freefall since the heady days of "Platoon", is Zane Ziminski, a radio telescope operator who searches the airwaves for alien contact from outer space. When he encounters a radio signal he is sure is of alien origin, he submits it to his boss, Gordian (Silver), who then fires him. When his equipment is confiscated and his partner is found dead in suspicious circumstances, he becomes fully aware that a cover-up of sorts is in operation.
He tracks the signals to an isolated Mexican village where he meets another scientist (Lindsay Crouse) who has similar suspicions. They are of the opinion that aliens are transmitting messages to aliens already on earth and he makes a startling discovery underneath the village...an underground alien lair who are speeding up the Greenhouse Effect in order to colonise the earth.
Bad haircut, bad goatee, bad glasses, bad lines. That is Charlie Sheen for the most part of this science fiction thriller; the same part that crawls along rather uneventfully making you wish you had chosen to watch "Braveheart" again. However, suddenly the heat is on when the aliens become aware that their plan is under threat and Ziminski loses the specs and becomes a bit of a (unlikely) hero.
For all its problems, "The Arrival" manages to create a small amount of tension as you start to wonder just who is on Ziminski's side and who is an alien. When you think things are looking up, the film fizzles out to an uninspiring end though and it's another missed opportunity for Sheen. The special effects are impressive yet subtle but they are not enough to warrant this movie a must see. Better luck next time Mr Sheen; if there is a next time.
Rating **
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Teri Polo, Ron Silver
With the renaissance of science fiction, (similar to the brief rebirth of westerns recently), there are many frustrated script writers only too eager to share their visions of alien invasions and futuristic apocalypse. This has lead to recent movies like "Strange Days", "Independence Day" and "The Arrival".
Charlie Sheen, who has slipped into freefall since the heady days of "Platoon", is Zane Ziminski, a radio telescope operator who searches the airwaves for alien contact from outer space. When he encounters a radio signal he is sure is of alien origin, he submits it to his boss, Gordian (Silver), who then fires him. When his equipment is confiscated and his partner is found dead in suspicious circumstances, he becomes fully aware that a cover-up of sorts is in operation.
He tracks the signals to an isolated Mexican village where he meets another scientist (Lindsay Crouse) who has similar suspicions. They are of the opinion that aliens are transmitting messages to aliens already on earth and he makes a startling discovery underneath the village...an underground alien lair who are speeding up the Greenhouse Effect in order to colonise the earth.
Bad haircut, bad goatee, bad glasses, bad lines. That is Charlie Sheen for the most part of this science fiction thriller; the same part that crawls along rather uneventfully making you wish you had chosen to watch "Braveheart" again. However, suddenly the heat is on when the aliens become aware that their plan is under threat and Ziminski loses the specs and becomes a bit of a (unlikely) hero.
For all its problems, "The Arrival" manages to create a small amount of tension as you start to wonder just who is on Ziminski's side and who is an alien. When you think things are looking up, the film fizzles out to an uninspiring end though and it's another missed opportunity for Sheen. The special effects are impressive yet subtle but they are not enough to warrant this movie a must see. Better luck next time Mr Sheen; if there is a next time.
Rating **
A smart, well done Alien movie.
R_Ethier29 October 2003
I had the pleasure of watching this film in the theater and to be quite honest that is the way it should be seen. Its a well done movie about aliens visiting earth, overall the story is nothing original (but it does have more then a few tricks up its sleeve) and is your typical Alien invader movie.
Watching this on television years later its hard to appreciate just how well this film was shot. One scene in particular involving a large dish and someone almost falling off the side of it almost caused me to make a mess in my pants when first watching the film on the big screen.
When I saw it the theater was mostly empty (not good for the movie, but it probably allowed us to enjoy it some more) and it was its first run (did it have a second?). Its sad the film didn't do as well as it should have, at the time it was the best alien related movie in theaters (I seem to remember independence day being out at the same time).
My one gripe is a somewhat weak ending (especially considering the strength of the rest of the movie). Overall it is an entertaining and somewhat thought provoking film that you won't regret watching unless you don't like movies that emphasize suspense instead of action. And there is a LOT of suspense in this film. It doesn't skimp on action either but it saves it for the end of the movie where it belongs and makes some sense.
Some people may not like its message either but I didn't have a problem with it and it certainly didn't get overly preachy. People voice their opinions on screen just as someone would do in real life, and I don't have a problem with that. The real focus of the movie is aliens, not the environment. If you fixate on the environmental message in the movie then you probably have some issues or just don't get this type of movie. Global warming is more of a subplot that leads Mr Sheen in a certain direction and nothing more.
The special effects are fairly spartan but effective and nicely creepy when they are used.
Some of the characters are kind of annoying but are necessary, and don't detract from the film overall.
A worthwhile rental, especially if you have a large TV to watch it on.
Watching this on television years later its hard to appreciate just how well this film was shot. One scene in particular involving a large dish and someone almost falling off the side of it almost caused me to make a mess in my pants when first watching the film on the big screen.
When I saw it the theater was mostly empty (not good for the movie, but it probably allowed us to enjoy it some more) and it was its first run (did it have a second?). Its sad the film didn't do as well as it should have, at the time it was the best alien related movie in theaters (I seem to remember independence day being out at the same time).
My one gripe is a somewhat weak ending (especially considering the strength of the rest of the movie). Overall it is an entertaining and somewhat thought provoking film that you won't regret watching unless you don't like movies that emphasize suspense instead of action. And there is a LOT of suspense in this film. It doesn't skimp on action either but it saves it for the end of the movie where it belongs and makes some sense.
Some people may not like its message either but I didn't have a problem with it and it certainly didn't get overly preachy. People voice their opinions on screen just as someone would do in real life, and I don't have a problem with that. The real focus of the movie is aliens, not the environment. If you fixate on the environmental message in the movie then you probably have some issues or just don't get this type of movie. Global warming is more of a subplot that leads Mr Sheen in a certain direction and nothing more.
The special effects are fairly spartan but effective and nicely creepy when they are used.
Some of the characters are kind of annoying but are necessary, and don't detract from the film overall.
A worthwhile rental, especially if you have a large TV to watch it on.
very down-to-earth alien flick
jon-5511 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Expecting cookie-cutter mediocrity, I was really pleasantly surprised.
The cons of this film are the common pitfalls in every low-budget sci-fi, not to mention the haggard-loner-versus-the-shadowy-big-conspiracy genre. The plot turns and dialog are mostly predictable, and the composition is sloppy at times. My guess is this film was treated to a fairly brutal production schedule.
That said, this movie has a lot going for it.
Sheen does just an excellent job - he carries the film. All the Estevez/Sheens have been in some pretty bad films, not to mention - gag - TV, but talent and professionalism really runs deep in that family.
The (human) characters are refreshingly human and believable, a sharp contrast to Independence Day which, another reviewer mentioned, came out at the same time.
I also appreciated the clear-eyed treatment of the science-y stuff. I totally disagree that this is a "message" movie - if there is a message about global warming here, it is that aliens are causing it! Hardly a boon to the tree-hugger cause. And the head alien getting all pious at the end about humans not deserving the earth - this is not exactly a sympathetic character! So I fail to see this as a guilt trip.
On the other hand, it is interesting that topics like "terraforming" and colonization of other planets are creeping into real mainstream scientific discussion now, almost a decade after this film's release. If there is a not-so-cool- when-it-happens-to-you "message" here, you still have to give the filmmakers credit for being ahead of the curve.
I generally assume that films that look like they suck always do - but every once in a while you stumble across one that doesn't!
The cons of this film are the common pitfalls in every low-budget sci-fi, not to mention the haggard-loner-versus-the-shadowy-big-conspiracy genre. The plot turns and dialog are mostly predictable, and the composition is sloppy at times. My guess is this film was treated to a fairly brutal production schedule.
That said, this movie has a lot going for it.
Sheen does just an excellent job - he carries the film. All the Estevez/Sheens have been in some pretty bad films, not to mention - gag - TV, but talent and professionalism really runs deep in that family.
The (human) characters are refreshingly human and believable, a sharp contrast to Independence Day which, another reviewer mentioned, came out at the same time.
I also appreciated the clear-eyed treatment of the science-y stuff. I totally disagree that this is a "message" movie - if there is a message about global warming here, it is that aliens are causing it! Hardly a boon to the tree-hugger cause. And the head alien getting all pious at the end about humans not deserving the earth - this is not exactly a sympathetic character! So I fail to see this as a guilt trip.
On the other hand, it is interesting that topics like "terraforming" and colonization of other planets are creeping into real mainstream scientific discussion now, almost a decade after this film's release. If there is a not-so-cool- when-it-happens-to-you "message" here, you still have to give the filmmakers credit for being ahead of the curve.
I generally assume that films that look like they suck always do - but every once in a while you stumble across one that doesn't!
90's alien sci-fi worth a watch
DEPRESSEDcherry22 February 2021
It's not often you can say a Charlie Sheen release is ahead of the curve but this movie, which deals in satellite dishes pointing at space, alien invasion, and conspiracy, was a year before the likes of Contact and Men in Black. It even beat Independence Day to the theatres by about a month. It of course didn't become as successful as any of those movies but, it has some smart ideas which play out well. It has the look and feel of an X-Files episode with a huge budget and really wouldn't feel out of place within the universe of Mulder and Scully. Sure, the special effects look very 90's now, and the story perhaps could use a little work. Sheen, however, puts in a strong performance in what was one of his final big-screen outings before descending into straight to video releases. A sequel appeared a couple of years later without Sheen and his character killed off, It's a shame because this could have become a series of movies, all with Charlie onboard, had things just gone a little differently.
The worst alien invasion film of 1996
charchuk14 April 2007
Somehow, this is the worst alien invasion film from 1996. Though both Independence Day and Mars Attacks! have their fair share of flaws, this film is nothing but flaws. To start off, it's got some of the worst acting by an entire cast in a major motion picture. Some of this is due to the wretched dialogue, but most of it is due to what seem like first-take scenes. Charlie Sheen is overacting incredibly, and everyone else is just plain wooden. The story would be interesting if it were not botched completely with unbelievable situations and silly action sequences. The direction is entirely unremarkable, and the special effects are wholly un-amazing. Plus, it's got a kid in it - a sure flaw in any film for adults. Truly terrible.
An intelligent and fast-paced sci-fi thriller.
jiangliqings3 December 2000
Warning: Spoilers
*** 1/2 stars out of ****
The Arrival remains the little seen and little known sci-fi thriller released the same summer as Independence Day. Most people opted to watch the latter film for all its big action scenes, which left The Arrival a box office loser, a destination it most definitely did not deserve. Since then, it has gained some life on video and will probably gain more popularity since the film marks the debut of director David Twohy, who is proving to be a force to reckon with in Hollywood, especially after his success with Pitch Black.
Zane Ziminski (Charlie Sheen) is a brilliant radio astronomer who, along with his partner (Richard Schiff), receive a radio signal which Ziminski believes was emitted from an extraterrestrial source. But as soon as he hands the recording over to his boss Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), everything seems to go wrong. Zane is fired, his estranged girlfriend Charlotte (Teri Polo) is transferred, his partner dies of an apparent suicide, and the tape of the recording has seemingly vanished.
Ziminski's new job, as a cable repairman, gives him access to his neighborhood's attena dishes, which he lines up together into a phased array in hopes of receiving the signal again. To his luck, the signal returns, but it's coming from a small town called San Marsol in Mexico. Heading down there, he meets a scientist named Ilana Green (Lindsay Crouse), who is down there studying the rising temperatures of third-world countries. As Ziminski continues his investigation, he believes he may have uncovered a worldwide alien conspiracy.
What makes The Arrival as great a film as it is is because of the story, which is smart and interesting. Rather than giving us mindless action scenes, writer/director Twohy prefers to keep our attention with an intelligent story. Despite this being his first time behind the camera, he proves himself an adroit filmmaker, weaving the story together brilliantly, and unfolding little plot surprises along the way.
The Arrival is primarily a thriller, and Twohy is more than competent at creating action and suspense (witness Pitch Black), both elements of which are sharply executed in this film. The final hour of the film is full of edge-of-the-seat excitement. Composer Arthur Kempel's score also adds an extra bit of tension. The film moves at a lightning pace and there's never a loss of momentum or a lag in the running time, which runs smoothly throughout all 115 minutes.
The cast is also strong, with Charlie Sheen taking top acting honors. I'm a little suprised of all the statements claiming he was miscast for the role. If anything, he's the only person who could play the part, and he comes through superbly, never failing to convince for a moment. Teri Polo is decent as Sheen's girlfriend, and while her character isn't developed as well, she still makes an impression in her limited screentime. Ron Silver is utterly chilling as Ziminski's boss, who wisely underplays the role, rather than chewing the scenery.
It's truly a breath of fresh air to watch a sci-fi thriller that relies on logic and plausibility to carry the story. For viewers who enjoy a fine story and believable science with their sci-fi, The Arrival is a true must see.
The Arrival remains the little seen and little known sci-fi thriller released the same summer as Independence Day. Most people opted to watch the latter film for all its big action scenes, which left The Arrival a box office loser, a destination it most definitely did not deserve. Since then, it has gained some life on video and will probably gain more popularity since the film marks the debut of director David Twohy, who is proving to be a force to reckon with in Hollywood, especially after his success with Pitch Black.
Zane Ziminski (Charlie Sheen) is a brilliant radio astronomer who, along with his partner (Richard Schiff), receive a radio signal which Ziminski believes was emitted from an extraterrestrial source. But as soon as he hands the recording over to his boss Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), everything seems to go wrong. Zane is fired, his estranged girlfriend Charlotte (Teri Polo) is transferred, his partner dies of an apparent suicide, and the tape of the recording has seemingly vanished.
Ziminski's new job, as a cable repairman, gives him access to his neighborhood's attena dishes, which he lines up together into a phased array in hopes of receiving the signal again. To his luck, the signal returns, but it's coming from a small town called San Marsol in Mexico. Heading down there, he meets a scientist named Ilana Green (Lindsay Crouse), who is down there studying the rising temperatures of third-world countries. As Ziminski continues his investigation, he believes he may have uncovered a worldwide alien conspiracy.
What makes The Arrival as great a film as it is is because of the story, which is smart and interesting. Rather than giving us mindless action scenes, writer/director Twohy prefers to keep our attention with an intelligent story. Despite this being his first time behind the camera, he proves himself an adroit filmmaker, weaving the story together brilliantly, and unfolding little plot surprises along the way.
The Arrival is primarily a thriller, and Twohy is more than competent at creating action and suspense (witness Pitch Black), both elements of which are sharply executed in this film. The final hour of the film is full of edge-of-the-seat excitement. Composer Arthur Kempel's score also adds an extra bit of tension. The film moves at a lightning pace and there's never a loss of momentum or a lag in the running time, which runs smoothly throughout all 115 minutes.
The cast is also strong, with Charlie Sheen taking top acting honors. I'm a little suprised of all the statements claiming he was miscast for the role. If anything, he's the only person who could play the part, and he comes through superbly, never failing to convince for a moment. Teri Polo is decent as Sheen's girlfriend, and while her character isn't developed as well, she still makes an impression in her limited screentime. Ron Silver is utterly chilling as Ziminski's boss, who wisely underplays the role, rather than chewing the scenery.
It's truly a breath of fresh air to watch a sci-fi thriller that relies on logic and plausibility to carry the story. For viewers who enjoy a fine story and believable science with their sci-fi, The Arrival is a true must see.
interesting premise and good first half
SnoopyStyle26 December 2015
Ilana Green (Lindsay Crouse) examines a green field in the middle of the frozen Arctic. Her research is being blocked but she discovers a rapid climate change underway. Zane Zaminsky (Charlie Sheen) and Calvin (Richard Schiff) working a radio telescope discover a signal from 14.6 light years away. It goes away before confirmation. Their NASA JPL boss Phil Gordian (Ron Silver) cuts the program claiming budget cuts. Then he destroys the data and blackballs Zane. The only job he can get is installing TV satellites. His marriage to Char (Teri Polo) is under stress. Using satellite dishes, he creates a personal radio telescope to search for the signal with the help of nosy neighbor kid Kiki. Both Green and Zaminsky zero in on a Mexican location.
This is a nice paranoid conspiracy alien invasion movie. I like Sheen's side of the story. I doubt that both investigations would lead to the exact same place. Climate science isn't that precise. As for assassination attempts, crushed by a bathtub is one of the most unusual and laughable. It seems so much easier and more common to simply shoot them. However, I do really like the black hole metallic spheres.
After a really good first half, the movie starts to run into problems. It's still pretty good. David Twohy is most notable for the Riddick franchise. He needs to simplify the second half and ramp up the action. It tries to be too cute with the story. The movie needs to end in Mexico or else there is an obvious simpler way for Zane to expose the conspiracy.
This is a nice paranoid conspiracy alien invasion movie. I like Sheen's side of the story. I doubt that both investigations would lead to the exact same place. Climate science isn't that precise. As for assassination attempts, crushed by a bathtub is one of the most unusual and laughable. It seems so much easier and more common to simply shoot them. However, I do really like the black hole metallic spheres.
After a really good first half, the movie starts to run into problems. It's still pretty good. David Twohy is most notable for the Riddick franchise. He needs to simplify the second half and ramp up the action. It tries to be too cute with the story. The movie needs to end in Mexico or else there is an obvious simpler way for Zane to expose the conspiracy.
A good idea, but the signal got muddled somewhere along the way
cricketbat1 November 2021
The Arrival should have been better. The story was thought-provoking, but the execution was sloppy. The pacing was way too slow. They should have trimmed 20 minutes off. And the acting was lackluster by all parties. Plus, the visual effects look pretty corny now, and I doubt they looked that good in 1996. It was a good idea, but the signal got muddled somewhere along the way.
Humor Made This Sci-Fi Work
ccthemovieman-13 May 2006
This aliens vs. earth film succeeded because it added humor to the suspense story and Charlie Sheen did a great job adding to that with an expression-filled face that made he and this film fun to watch.
Story-wise, most of it made no sense as Sheen got out of one impossible scrap after another but good sci-fi special effects and suspense helped make the story interesting and fast-moving. You get caught up in the story and don't care if their are plenty of holes in it. It's also pretty tame, language-wise. Lindsay Crouse provides the female interest and Ron Silver the villain, a familiar role for him.
The film was popular enough to make a sequel, but that horrible. Don't waste your time on that one.
Story-wise, most of it made no sense as Sheen got out of one impossible scrap after another but good sci-fi special effects and suspense helped make the story interesting and fast-moving. You get caught up in the story and don't care if their are plenty of holes in it. It's also pretty tame, language-wise. Lindsay Crouse provides the female interest and Ron Silver the villain, a familiar role for him.
The film was popular enough to make a sequel, but that horrible. Don't waste your time on that one.
Better than some reviews suggests.
ravegudrun15 February 2015
It is not as bad as some writes in their reviews. Charlie Sheen is not a super great actor, and never has been, but he pulls it off good enough. The other actors are not bad either. Sometimes the script feels weak, but most of the time it's OK. I really enjoyed it and I'm glad that I went against the reviews and gave it a chance although I hesitated at first.
It's not as good as Contact, but not that far away. Give it a chance if you like Contact and other sci-fi flicks of that kind. I've seen a lot of worse movies with higher score than this one, that's for sure. It's not Alien, but it's not species-bad either.
It's not as good as Contact, but not that far away. Give it a chance if you like Contact and other sci-fi flicks of that kind. I've seen a lot of worse movies with higher score than this one, that's for sure. It's not Alien, but it's not species-bad either.
Ludicrous eyebrows, ludicrous plot
jasonfist2 January 2005
Charlie Sheen. How can I say this? I'm not sure acting is his strong point.
In this truly terrible X-Files rip-off, Charlie's eyebrows are permanently hiked up around his hairline, and running around Mexico bare-chested (it's hot, you see) is not enough to keep us interested for nearly two hours.
How David Twohy managed to get finance for any movie after this is beyond me, and he should definitely get someone else to read over his scripts; I didn't know whether to groan or guffaw most of the time. Dear oh dear oh dear...
In this truly terrible X-Files rip-off, Charlie's eyebrows are permanently hiked up around his hairline, and running around Mexico bare-chested (it's hot, you see) is not enough to keep us interested for nearly two hours.
How David Twohy managed to get finance for any movie after this is beyond me, and he should definitely get someone else to read over his scripts; I didn't know whether to groan or guffaw most of the time. Dear oh dear oh dear...
The first sign of proof that David Twohy is the next John Carpenter.
Li-118 May 2003
*** 1/2 out of ****
Writer/director David Twohy accomplished the near-impossible in the summer of 1996; he delivered a fun, fast-paced AND intelligent sci-fi thriller with The Arrival, an intriguing, thought-provoking film that was unfairly ignored in theaters at the time of its release (most viewers chose to see Twister, M:I, Independence Day). The movie has a classic premise about a radio astronomer (Charlie Sheen) who receives a signal from outer space that may or may not have come from extraterrestrial life.
To say anymore would be unforgivable, as Twohy packs in believable twists and turns throughout the plot, which is fun without insulting the brain, and complex without ever bogging down in mind-numbing confusion. The script does have a few head-scratchers here and there (I was particularly miffed that Lindsay Crouse's character, an environmentalist, wasn't familiar with the concept of terraforming) and some contrivances, but they're hardly bothersome and aren't noticeable until a second viewing.
As good a screenwriter as Twohy is, he's even more adept as a director (further proven by Pitch Black, a superbly crafted deep-space thriller with a script not even half as smart as The Arrival's). With great pacing and precise editing, Twohy builds momentum with each discovery Sheen unfolds, until it culminates to an edge-of-the-seat climax that's quite satisfying (unlike...cough...cough..."V: the Final Battle", Independence Day).
The cast is all-around effective, with Sheen delivering a surprisingly terrific performance as the paranoid astronomer. It's great to see an intelligent protagonist who thinks his way out of tight jams, rather than shooting and blowing up everything in sight. No one else gets half of Sheen's screentime, but Ron Silver is nicely ambiguous as his boss, and Teri Polo, however underused, is fine as Sheen's girlfriend. Lindsay Crouse also makes a good impression as an environmentalist studying some strange activity.
On a technical level, some sci-fi fans might be a little disappointed. Those weaned on "V" and ID4 will notice the lack of large-scale special effects. Sorry, no disc-shaped motherships here. Still, the visuals present are mostly decent, certainly passable enough that they don't become a distraction to the plot. Despite the use of CGI in its more primitive stages (this was '96, after all) the effects are still occasionally excellent and imaginative, such as the spherical object those tight-lipped men wield. Composer Arthur Kempel's score adds a bit more tension to the already excruciating suspense, and evokes a creepy atmosphere during the film's quieter moments.
Remember, folks, The Arrival is a rarity, a once in a while example of how pure movie magic can be created when we've got dedicated filmmakers who want to intrigue the audience rather than catering to demographics just for the sake of box office returns. Forget Independence Day, The War of the Worlds, or V and its sequel, The Arrival is the most satisfying cinematic depiction of alien invasion to date.
Writer/director David Twohy accomplished the near-impossible in the summer of 1996; he delivered a fun, fast-paced AND intelligent sci-fi thriller with The Arrival, an intriguing, thought-provoking film that was unfairly ignored in theaters at the time of its release (most viewers chose to see Twister, M:I, Independence Day). The movie has a classic premise about a radio astronomer (Charlie Sheen) who receives a signal from outer space that may or may not have come from extraterrestrial life.
To say anymore would be unforgivable, as Twohy packs in believable twists and turns throughout the plot, which is fun without insulting the brain, and complex without ever bogging down in mind-numbing confusion. The script does have a few head-scratchers here and there (I was particularly miffed that Lindsay Crouse's character, an environmentalist, wasn't familiar with the concept of terraforming) and some contrivances, but they're hardly bothersome and aren't noticeable until a second viewing.
As good a screenwriter as Twohy is, he's even more adept as a director (further proven by Pitch Black, a superbly crafted deep-space thriller with a script not even half as smart as The Arrival's). With great pacing and precise editing, Twohy builds momentum with each discovery Sheen unfolds, until it culminates to an edge-of-the-seat climax that's quite satisfying (unlike...cough...cough..."V: the Final Battle", Independence Day).
The cast is all-around effective, with Sheen delivering a surprisingly terrific performance as the paranoid astronomer. It's great to see an intelligent protagonist who thinks his way out of tight jams, rather than shooting and blowing up everything in sight. No one else gets half of Sheen's screentime, but Ron Silver is nicely ambiguous as his boss, and Teri Polo, however underused, is fine as Sheen's girlfriend. Lindsay Crouse also makes a good impression as an environmentalist studying some strange activity.
On a technical level, some sci-fi fans might be a little disappointed. Those weaned on "V" and ID4 will notice the lack of large-scale special effects. Sorry, no disc-shaped motherships here. Still, the visuals present are mostly decent, certainly passable enough that they don't become a distraction to the plot. Despite the use of CGI in its more primitive stages (this was '96, after all) the effects are still occasionally excellent and imaginative, such as the spherical object those tight-lipped men wield. Composer Arthur Kempel's score adds a bit more tension to the already excruciating suspense, and evokes a creepy atmosphere during the film's quieter moments.
Remember, folks, The Arrival is a rarity, a once in a while example of how pure movie magic can be created when we've got dedicated filmmakers who want to intrigue the audience rather than catering to demographics just for the sake of box office returns. Forget Independence Day, The War of the Worlds, or V and its sequel, The Arrival is the most satisfying cinematic depiction of alien invasion to date.
Surprisingly good entertainment
tomntempe8 September 2021
After reading some of the negative reviews here I almost didn't watch it. Glad I watched. As one reviewer said, it's a bit like an extended X-files episode. That's not a bad thing, especially today when most of what passes for sci-fi is little more than cowboys in space with both sides shooting at each other with "advanced" weapons that cannot hit the side of a barn.
The Premise here is aliens are on earth and using Climate change as cover for their plot to warm up the earth quickly (they like it hot) so they can displace us.
No need to detail all that happens, suffice it to say there are a few minor twists but no real surprises. Yet it flows along well, characters get just the amount of development they need and no more. No huge plot holes once you accept the premises that underlay the aliens being here in the first place.
The Premise here is aliens are on earth and using Climate change as cover for their plot to warm up the earth quickly (they like it hot) so they can displace us.
No need to detail all that happens, suffice it to say there are a few minor twists but no real surprises. Yet it flows along well, characters get just the amount of development they need and no more. No huge plot holes once you accept the premises that underlay the aliens being here in the first place.
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