Introduction
The science fiction (Sci-Fi) genre of movies addresses the impact of real or imagined science and technology on society. These movies use explorative and speculative elements to create a surreal world with magnificent inanimate objects. The theme of cultural anxiety and what it means to be human in a changing world is common in such films.
Denis Villeneuve’s 2016 movie, Arrival, exemplifies the key features of sci-fi. The opening scene shows Dr.Bank playing with her daughter, who later dies at the age of twelve, just before some 12 aliens invade the world. As Dr. Banks tries to debunk their language codes, she has various flashbacks of what her daughter used to tell her. Although emotive, the film is an exaggerated advancement in communication technology and science.
Classical Narration and Character Transformation in Science Fiction
Invisibility is the classical narration in science fiction films, which is designed to disguise itself as a human artifact or reality. For instance, in Arrival, Banks teaches her linguistic class when the students tell her to stop and switch on the television (Villeneuve). The news indicates that twelve extraterrestrial spacecraft have been seen in various parts of the world. Notably, these spacecraft are presented as real, and a crew is sent to investigate their source.
The other defining characteristic of the classical Hollywood style is the character arc, which is evident in the internal transformation of actors. A good example is Dr. Bank’s expression “…but now I am not so sure I believe in beginnings and endings. There are days that define your story beyond your life. Like the day they arrived” (Villeneuve 00:08:00-00:08:23). She says these words after the death of her daughter and just immediately before the extraterrestrial things coming on Earth and transforming her perspective of life. The audiovisual technique is evident throughout the film, such as in the scene where the team is on a mission in a helicopter at night to learn more about the aliens.
Extrapolation and Speculation: Technological and Alien Elements
The film encompasses both extrapolative and speculative elements in its plot. For example, the advancement of communication technologies, rockets, and weapons is well depicted in Arrival. In one of the scenes, Dr. Banks proposes visual communication and writes on a tablet to show the aliens that she is human. The aliens respond by drawing a circle on the screen (Villeneuve 00:35:20-00:28:58). The images provided by the aliens are then taken to the information center full of computers, where other staff are working. Thus, the scene is a perfect example of a future with advanced computers for communicating with non-humans.
In addition, the film uses a speculative style to envision a future with fantastic creatures and technological advancement. For example, in Arrival, the aliens are magnificent creatures with seven legs, which Dr.Banks names heptapods (Zhang par. 2). They have a unique ability to communicate using signs and are capable of handling technologies. They make the movie appear surreal as Dr.Banks and her team risk their lives to interact with them to decipher their language. Therefore, the director creates a fictional world with more possibilities than the real world through extrapolation and speculation.
Cultural Anxiety and Social Commentary in Sci-Fi Films
The other key feature of science fiction films is some barometers of cultural anxiety. In the opening scene, Dr.Banks appears all happy playing with her daughter, but she dies at the age of twelve, leaving her with an inner void. Notably, the film was produced in 2016, implying that the cultural context of most countries featured in the film has not changed (Villeneuve)—the modern United States, a highly individualistic country, conditions people to have minimal interpersonal relationships. For instance, Dr. Bank’s only family was her daughter, which means that her death led her to be consumed only with her work.
A cultural clash is further escalated when the team in America realizes that four other nations do not follow their open policy. The cultural anxiety on gun ownership and violence emerges as one man uses social media to criticize the government for its passive approach towards the aliens (Villeneuve 00:56:25-00:56:40). The debate on whether United States citizens should be allowed to own guns for self-defense is depicted as a cause of cultural anxiety in the film.
Exploring Humanity Through Relationships and Ethical Dilemmas
Science fiction movies explore what it means to be human by exploring relationships with other organisms, technology, and the environment. In Arrival, being human means people are highly emotional in their interactions. For example, in the middle scene, Dr. Bank has a flashback where she is talking to her daughter, and she mentions his father, who is not present. The daughter showed her colorful drawings that connect with the current images provided by aliens. She told her daughter that it is okay to feel sad. In the present moment, she feels sad thinking about the scenario (Villeneuve 00:59:40=01:00:12).
Moreover, being human is depicted as always trying to be in control and a selfish entitlement to the Earth. Notably, the invasion of the aliens at the beginning of the movie causes panic as no one understands the meaning. Later, people begin to feel that the aliens have overstayed, and China’s general Shang issues an ultimatum to engage in a war if the aliens fail to retreat (Villeneuve 01:03:20-01:03:56). Thus, humans believe that they are entitled to live on Earth and control everything in it.
Academic Perspectives on Science Fiction Style and Themes
Various academic articles on science fiction offer relevant information on the style, plot, themes, and other elements of movie production. In their article, “Technology of Cinematic Architecture in Science Fiction Movies”, Al-Haj Hasan, Hosni Lena, and Ghannoum Rana explore the technological element of cinematic architecture. The authors note that the world is experiencing fast technological development.
They show that sci-fi movies play a significant role in displaying technological advancements and new possibilities for the future. The majority of such films display the futuristic elements of an urban center. The most interesting and informative part of the article is how it relates science fiction technology to the real future world.
The selected academic article broadened my understanding of science fiction (Al-Haj et al. 1). The definition that the article provides for sci-fi genre is a cinema that occurs in a fictional extend-times and creates a society with living animates in a way that mentions science and technology in a disguised way that is different from the real world (Al-Haj et al. 2). Notably, the definition is broad and gives the aim of sci-fi movies which helps in understanding the themes and plot.
Conclusion
Conclusively, Arrival is an epic sci-fi film that shows the possibilities people can realize if they advance information technology. The aliens invade the world and cause panic because humans love to maintain the status quo and remain in control. In addition, the movie features contemporary cultural issues such as individuality, gun ownership, and violence. As humans devise strategies to communicate with the aliens or go to war, viewers are left to judge their nature.
Works Cited
Al-Haj, Hasan, et al. “Technology of Cinematic Architecture in Science Fiction Movies.” Architecture and Planning Journal, vol. 28, no. 1, 2022, pp. 1-12. Web.
Arrival. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, 2016. Paramount Pictures, 2016. Web.
Zhang, Nathan. “A Review of Arrival: Arrival is not your ordinary sci-fi movie.” KidSpirit Magazine, Web.