Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)

From: [email-masked] (Michael J. Legeros)
Date: 10 Jun 1996 18:28:19 GMT

THE ARRIVAL
                       A film review by Michael John Legeros
                        Copyright 1996 Michael John Legeros

(Orion)
Directed by     David Twohy       
Written by      David Twohy      
Cast            Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Crouse, Ron Silver, Teri Polo,
                Tony T Johnson
MPAA Rating     "PG-13" 
Running Time    110 minutes
Reviewed at     The Imperial, Cary, NC (31MAY96)

==

     Screenwriter David Twohy (TERMINAL VELOCITY, THE FUGITIVE) makes
his directorial debut with this crafty, sci-fi thriller that gets *my*
vote as the most-substantive movie of the summer.  So far.  A bug-eyed
Charlie Sheen is very effective as the beefy radio astronomer who hears
something that he shouldn't while on "dish duty." He presents the audio
tape to his NASA boss (Ron Silver), who immediately takes two actions:
he fires the boy and destroys the tape.  This and other whiffs of
conspiracy take our obsessive hero into his own attic, where he
ingeniously constructs his own listening station, and then to Mexico, to
trace a similar signal's origin and to bump into another scientist and
fellow mystery seeker (Lindsay Crouse).

     More of a head trip than a heart-stopper, THE ARRIVAL fulfills two
basic requirements of good escapist fare:  it keeps us guessing and
keeps us from questioning.  (The movie is certainly better-plotted than
either TWISTER or MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, but that isn't saying much.) In
addition to his well-proven writing skills, David Twohy also
demonstrates a strong command of the camera.  The opening sequence is
impressive (I won't ruin the surprise), as are two scenes set in a seedy
Mexican hotel.  The fate that befalls a bathtub is a howler, as is
watching a certain character get ready for bed in a room full of
scorpions.  Shameless manipulation and it's a gas.  With so many good
things going for it, THE ARRIVAL still could use a sharper,
more-visceral edge.  This is solid, but never spectacular summer fare.
Not in the way the sells Happy Meals or inspires sequels.  

     Grade: B

--

Mike Legeros - Raleigh, NC 
[email-masked] (h) - [email-masked] (w)
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