From rec.arts.sf.reviews Thu Jun 6 22:40:20 1996
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From: good@pixar.com (Craig Good)
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Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by Craig Good
Copyright 1996 Craig Good
This year I'm in a real Summer Movie Mood. I saw "Twister" on opening
night. I saw "Mission: Impossible" on the night of the "sneak". I'm
looking forward to ID4, "The Eraser" and even "The Rock". Heck, I'm
even going to go see "Dragonheart". Both "Twister" and "M:I" were fun
in their own right, as long as I was in a forgiving mood, which I was.
This weekend I ran out to see a film about which I knew practically
nothing. I went with my same easy-going summer movie attitude.
And then "The Arrival" turned out to be such a pleasant surprize that I
realized I didn't have to cut it so much slack. This is a tightly
scripted Sci-Fi thriller which is every bit as effective as "The Thing"
or "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" albeit for subtly different
reasons. The best surprize in the movie? It was the fact that there
were surprizes! At least three times during the film I said, "Now I
did not see *that* coming". The next best surprize? That it remains
true to itself and does not degenerate into an action picture in the
third act. No fist fight. No snappy one liners after killing someone.
Wow.
Being science fiction it does, of course, take a few liberties with
physics and technology. But it only does so when it needs to, and
always at the service of the story. It's not at a Larry Niven level of
accuracy, but compared to any "Star Trek" episode it comes off like a
physics textbook. The effects range from adequate to stunning. The most
important thing about them is that they always serve the story. I guess
that makes "The Arrival" the "Anti-Twister".
By now you've noticed that I'm being pretty vague about the content of
the movie. That's because I had the pleasure of seeing it "cold", and
I'd like you to have the same. If I even tell you the *kind* of
surprizes it holds in store, I could ruin some of the fun for you. I
will say that the performances are engaging, especially in the case of
Charlie Sheen. Screenwriter David Twohy slips into the director's chair
for the first time (not counting one TV movie) and proves that he has
some seriously good chops.
If you haven't seen "Twister" and "Mission Impossible" yet, skip them
until later. Do yourself a favor and catch "The Arrival" instead.
--Craig
good@pixar.com
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Thu Jun 6 22:40:20 1996
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From: rhodes_steve@tandem.com (Steve Rhodes)
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Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1996 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
Never reach beyond your grasp, reach for the stars.
-Robert Browning
Tired of overhyped shows with big budget stars? Want to see an
old fashion grade B sci-fi flick? Well, I have just what you are
looking for, THE ARRIVAL. Within the parameters of this genre, THE
ARRIVAL is a fun and surprisingly good film. It is funny without ever
lapsing into self-parody. Even the hokey plot somehow evolves into
something bordering on plausibility if you just turn your brain off and
go with the flow.
In the opening, that I worried would be an omen for the audience,
scientist Ilana Green (Lindsay Crouse) looks out on a green field of
wildflowers in the Arctic and proclaims a single sentence, "Shouldn't
be here." It turns out that I was glad I was at this show, but in the
next scene when I saw nerdy Charlie Sheen as radio astronomer Zane
Ziminski, I began to worry again. Zane has classic bad glasses, a
goatee from the 60s, and a burr haircut to boot. A highly overdrawn
character to say the least.
Zane works at a Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI)
facility. One night he finally hears something out in space
communicating back to earth. When he plays the 42 second tape to his
boss at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), Zane
does not get the response he expects. Gordian tells him, "searching
for ETs in this political environment is a tough sell." He then goes
on to explain how Zane is being downsized out of his job effective
immediately. Zane is nonplused calling his find, "the premier
scientific discovery of the twentieth century."
As in most B movies, there are a couple of unnecessary romantic
subplots. Zane can not understand his beautiful wife and successful
stock broker Cher (Teri Polo). Looking at her he remarks, "Boolean
logic I trust. Algorithms I trust. Beautiful women are beyond me."
Soon the mysterious holes in the atmosphere that Ilana Green is
investigating and the communication from outer space that Zane Ziminski
(love that name) is digging into, become linked in a massive problem
for the entire planet. Along the way, the script mixes in a lot of
natural comedy, both in words and in action. Zane threatens Gordian
with, "What do I want to do? I want to blow a hole in your head and
donate your organs to science, but I've got a few questions first."
Later Gordian warns, "If you can't tend to your own planet, you don't
deserve to live here." The funniest scene in the show is the bathtub
one, which will have you in stitches. The show is also inventive, a
good example of this being how Zane extricates himself when trapped
underground.
THE ARRIVAL runs a little long at 1:55, but it keeps your interest
up. It is rated PG-13. There is no sex or nudity, and only a little
violence, mostly of the non-threatening sci-fi variety. Probably the
scariest scene involves big scorpions hidden in Green's bed. The show
would be fine for kids over say 8 and perhaps younger. I recommend the
picture to you and rate it ***.
______________________________________________________________________
**** = One of the top few films of this or any year. A must see film.
*** = Excellent show. Look for it.
** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable.
* = Poor show. Don't waste your money.
0 = One of the worst films of this or any year. Totally unbearable.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: May 31, 1996
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Thu Jun 6 22:40:20 1996
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From: dnb@mail.med.upenn.edu (David N. Butterworth)
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Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 1996 David N. Butterworth/The Summer Pennsylvanian
Directed by David Twohy
Rating: **1/2 (Maltin scale)
A film review by David N. Butterworth
Copyright 1996 David N. Butterworth/The Summer Pennsylvanian
Some might find it hard to take Charlie Sheen seriously these days.
>From his pumped up, exaggerated roles in HOT SHOTS! and its wackier sequel,
HOT SHOTS! PART DEUX, to his spotty appearance on the TV hit FRIENDS,
saying that Sheen's recent performances have bordered on self-parody would
be like saying TWISTER is a movie about the weather. But it's his earnest
performance in THE ARRIVAL that raises this extraterrestrial flick above
your average We Are Not Alone science fiction thriller.
Sheen stars as geekazoid radio astronomer Zane Ziminski--where do they get
these names?--doing "dish time" from a secluded NASA-funded outpost,
tracking F-class stars and listening for signs of "non-Earth based" life.
It's like STAKEOUT with a glossier Sheen.
For the most part a radio astronomer's career is not an eventful one...
Until one night, when tracking star Wolf 336, 14.6 light years away, Zane
and his co-geek astronomer buddy get a "spike" on their oscillator, and
look out boys cuz it's a big one!
But Zane's gaga enthusiasm is quickly quashed by his icy, unsympathetic
boss Gordian (played by icy, unsympathetic Ron Silver, similarly corrupt in
TIME COP and BLUE STEEL). Gordian tells Zane "If you can't confirm it, it
doesn't exist." Forty-two seconds of non-random, non-Earth-based signal
doesn't amount to a hill o' beans if it doesn't repeat itself. And, to add
insult to injury, Zane shortly learns that his position at the Jet
Propulsion Lab is being eliminated-government cut-backs and all that.
Sounds like a cover-up to me. And Zane thinks so too.
So, with the help of some playful jump-cutting techniques, Zane signs up as
a satellite television repairperson and rigs up an elaborate scheme to
confirm his There's Something Out There notion, uncovering an equally
elaborate conspiracy of global warming and master plans.
Oh yes... And aliens.
Lindsay Crouse plays eco-botanical geologist weather person thing Ilana
Green, whose path crosses Zane's down in Central America (she's concerned
about thermonuclear temperatures or some such, and there's a creative
opening sequence in which you wonder why she's wearing such a big coat).
Zane has managed to trace the radiowaves to somewhere in Mexico: "one
signal sky-based, one signal earth-based." Zane might look more like the
rocket scientist but even I could figure out what that means! But by the
time he gets to the radio station broadcasting the signal... Well, it's
toast. Sounds like a cover-up to me! Yep. Zane's with me on this one.
And from there Zane finally stumbles upon the whole enchilada, when we
finally get to see the little green men for the first time--no "flashlight
fingers or metal teeth" here, but anatomically correct aliens of the
illegal variety.
The large-scale special effects are decent overall, but it's the little
ones that add more to this movie: the aliens' imaginative--if
under-utilized--dialect, for example, and the spinning copper sphere which
clears a room faster than anything in TWISTER. And, of course, Sheen's
energetic, bug-eyed performance, technically not an effect but special
nonetheless. Writer and first-time director David Twohy (he wrote the
under-appreciated WATERWORLD) keeps the production running smoothly, even
if his "the polar icecaps are melting" theorizing is starting to sound a
little too familiar.
The buzz on the street is that THE ARRIVAL is a slight, under-hyped
precursor of the Really Big summer alien invaders picture, ID4. But if
you're already disappointed by the first wave of summer blockbusters, you
could do far worse than to check out this competent piece of S.F.
--
David N. Butterworth, Director
Office of Information Technology
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
dnb@mail.med.upenn.edu
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Thu Jun 6 22:40:20 1996
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From: leeper@mtgbcs.att.com (Mark R. Leeper)
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Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1996 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule: This is a tired retread of too many
action films with an unnecessary science fiction
premise thrown in. Some of the special effects are
reasonable, but there is a great deal of silliness
in the plot. If you really are looking for
something original and different to see this summer
you will find that THE ARRIVAL is not much of a
departure. Rating: high 0 (-4 to +4) [A discussion
of some of the ideas follows the main review, but
at least one of the comments might be a spoiler.]
Start with a standard conspiracy and cover-up story. However,
instead of making the villain be the government or the Mafia or enemy
agents, this time make it be aliens. That gives you a little latitude
for a few nice special effects and allows you to exploit the publicity
for INDEPENDENCE DAY. That seems to be what happened with THE ARRIVAL.
The plot is pretty much a standard loner-on-the-run not knowing whom he
can trust that has been around since THE 39 STEPS and probably longer.
David Twohy proves that it does not take a whole lot of effort to make
this tried-and-true suspense formula into a science fiction film. Two
previously wrote and directed DISASTER IN TIME, and there he did a
reasonable job. That adaptation of C. L. Moore's "Vintage Season"
added adventure elements to a classic story and arguably actually
improved on the original. However he also co-authored the script for
WATERWORLD, which depended too much on all-too-familiar action film
devices. With THE ARRIVAL he is back to re-framing the all-too-
familiar, once again writing and directing.
Zane Zaminski (played by Charlie Sheen) is a radio astronomer
working for NASA on the Search for Extra- terrestrial Intelligence
project when he receives a signal from space that seems to be a message
from something intelligent. Bringing it to his supervisor, Gordian
(Ron Silver), he finds that some people, and especially Gordian, seem
more anxious to hush up the discovery than to act on the tremendous
implications of the signal. Zaminski finds himself fired and the tape
of the intercepted signal is destroyed. He determines that he can
search for the signal again by hijacking all the television satellite
dishes in the neighborhood, re-rigging them so that he can direct them
at will, and using them to try to again find his signal. The
information he gets is sufficient to tip him off that there is
something odd that has to be investigated in Mexico and the chase
begins in earnest.
Twohy's script really needed to use its science fiction premise
more effectively in the plot. Too often the premise of the aliens is
relegated to McGuffin. If a character is hanging onto something for
dear life, does it really make this a science fiction film if the thing
held onto is a radio telescope rather than the Statue of Liberty? Does
it make the story any more exciting? And for an action plot, THE
ARRIVAL's is rather flaccid with only one scene of any real tension,
and that involving poisonous insects and not aliens. Charlie Sheen
could have used a winning performance to his credit, but his radio
astronomer is neither winning nor believable. Lindsay Crouse, whose
wooden performance was the only major problem with HOUSE OF GAMES,
gives an only slightly better performance here. Tony T. Johnson is the
little boy next door, to whom Sheen can explain what would not
otherwise be obvious to the audience. Teri Polo, the Christine Daae of
the 1990 TV version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, is along as the female
companion of Zaminski, but neither the character nor the actress is
very much help.
I somehow think that David Twohy wanted to have made a science
fiction film, but did not have his heart in writing science fiction.
This chase/action film gets a high 0 on the -4 to +4 scale.
SPOILER... SPOILER... SPOILER... SPOILER... SPOILER... SPOILER...
The idea that Zaminski could build his own radio telescope to find
the signal again is ludicrous since it would take more money than he
could put into the project and putting all the television satellite
antennas out of commission would give him away before he could use the
scheme. My guess is that this handful of small dishes would not
accomplish his purpose in any case. Radio telescopes have to be really
large because they generally use very large wave lengths, though
admittedly the script says that Zaminski was looking in the FM band.
The Very Large Array near Socorro, New Mexico has 21 antennas, each 81
feet high and 422 feet in diameter. They are on a Y-shaped rail track
22 miles across. They can be brought in to the center in a tight
configuration or spread out over the whole track, having the equivalent
effect of looking with a wide-angle lens or with a telephoto lens.
However, this array is very often used in conjunction with other radio
telescopes in other parts of the world so the huge array that so
astounded Zaminski at one point in the plot should not have been even a
novel idea to a real radio astronomer. Another problem that is
conveniently overlooked is the length of time it takes the aliens to
communicate with "something that moves like a star" and not a
satellite, so presumably it is a star. There is also a plot problem
involving the note that Kiki left for his grandmother.
Mark R. Leeper
mleeper@lucent.com
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jun 7 15:42:50 1996
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From: berardin@bc.cybernex.net (James Berardinelli)
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Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1996 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 7.5
Alternative Scale: *** out of ****
United States, 1996
U.S. Release Date: 5/31/96 (wide)
Running Length: 1:55
MPAA Classification: PG-13 (Violence, mature themes)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Crouse, Teri Polo, Ron Silver,
Richard Schiff, Tony T. Johnson
Director: David Twohy
Producers: Thomas G. Smith and James Steele
Screenplay: David Twohy
Cinematography: Hiro Narita
Music: Arthur Kempel
U.S. Distributor: Orion Pictures
The biggest alien invasion picture of the summer of 1996 is
INDEPENDENCE DAY. But it's not the first. THE ARRIVAL, with a
significantly lower budget than Fox's July 3 release, has that
distinction, and, while this particular film doesn't boast any radical
or surprising ideas, it combines numerous familiar plot elements into a
suspenseful, entertaining whole. Best of all, perhaps, is the
realization that some thought went into writer/director David Twohy's
script. This is not a dumb movie; in fact, with its heavy reliance upon
real science, it's startlingly credible.
When aliens can disguise themselves as humans, as in THE ARRIVAL,
we're never sure who's a friend and who's a foe, and the best science
fiction/horror films of this ilk continuously keep us guessing.
Conspiracy lovers will have fun sorting through the layers of cover-up
and treachery here. And those who crave scary-looking, otherworldly
creatures will get their fill from the aliens in their natural forms.
The premise is rather simple. The aliens hail from a planet
orbiting Wolf-336, an unstable star located 14.6 light years from Earth.
A colonizing force has arrived here incognito with the goal of readying
this world for inhabitation. That process involves accelerating the
greenhouse effect -- intentionally polluting the atmosphere so that the
global temperature rises, causing the polar ice caps melt.
Zane (Charlie Sheen) and Calvin (Richard Schiff), a pair of CETI
radio astronomers, intercept communications between Wolf-336 and Earth.
When they report this to their boss, Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), Zane is
fired and Calvin suffers an unfortunate accident. With the help of Kiki
(Tony T. Johnson), a neighborhood boy, Zane begins investigating on his
own, ignoring his girlfriend (Teri Polo) in his quest to determine who's
out there. But Zane isn't the only one observing strange goings-on. A
UCLA environmentalist (Lindsay Crouse) has noticed the alarming increase
in global warming, and it's only a matter of time before she and Zane
meet each other and compare notes.
THE ARRIVAL is low key, which is refreshing at this time of year,
and it's as much horror as pure science fiction. This is the kind of
movie that a director like John Carpenter might have made during his
late-70s/early-80s heyday. It's creepy and atmospheric, and, after a
rather protracted opening forty minutes, well-paced.
Spectacled and bearded, Charlie Sheen is surprisingly effective as
the paranoid protagonist. He's more of an everyday sort of guy than a
superhero, and, as a result, is easy to identify with. Everyone else in
the cast is basically a supporting player, including Ron Silver as an
oily CETI executive, so the responsibility for the movie lies fully on
Sheen's shoulders, and he carries the burden admirably.
X FILES fans will discover a lot worth appreciating about THE
ARRIVAL, which shares certain core similarities with the TV show. This
film, however, takes things much further. Believability is a tremendous
asset in a picture like this. 1993's FIRE IN THE SKY, supposedly based
on a "true" story, was incredibly hard-to-swallow. On the other hand,
THE ARRIVAL, a completely fictional tale, is easy to accept. David
Twohy should be commended. In a summer when tornadoes, impossible
missions, and flying dragons are grabbing the headlines and the big
money, his smaller effort has shown more creativity than any of those
blockbusters.
- James Berardinelli
e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net
ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Tue Jun 11 17:10:47 1996
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From: legeros@nando.net (Michael J. Legeros)
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Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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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
legeros@nando.net (h) - legeros@unx.sas.com (w)
Visit me in MOVIE HELL
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Fri Jun 14 00:21:44 1996
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From: Scott Renshaw
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews
Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by Scott Renshaw
Copyright 1996 Scott Renshaw
(Orion)
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Crouse, Ron Silver, Teri Polo, Tony T.
Johnson.
Screenplay: David Twohy.
Producers: Thomas Smith, Jim Steele.
Director: David Twohy.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
These are the times that try a critic's soul, these summer months of
high budgets and low expectations. They are the times that can make me
begin to question what it is I am looking for in escapist entertainment,
as I read raves for hyped-up disappointments like TWISTER and MISSION:
IMPOSSIBLE and wonder what it is that I am supposed to be missing. They
are the times when a piece of fluff like DRAGONHEART seems that much
better when compared to the competition, and they are the times when a
film like THE ARRIVAL, lacking a big star or never-before-seen special
effects, will likely drown in a sea of higher-profile releases. But THE
ARRIVAL is the kind of thriller which reminds me _exactly_ what I'm
looking for in escapist entertainment: a script which has genuine wit,
genuine intelligence, and genuine excitement, and which convinces me that
the writer spent at least as much time creating it as I spent watching it.
That perfectly describes THE ARRIVAL.
Charlie Sheen stars as Zane Ziminski, a radio astronomer working at a
Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) facility, searching the
skies for signals of other-worldly origin. On one late-night shift, that
is exactly what he finds, yet Zane's boss Phil Gordian (Ron Silver) seems
remarkably cool to the news, and in fact informs Zane that he is being
laid off. But Zane refuses to let go of his discovery, and his continuing
investigation leads him to Mexico. There he hooks up with Ilana Green
(Lindsay Crouse), an atmospheric researcher studying global warming.
Together, they begin to discover a conspiracy which suggests that the
aliens aren't just coming -- they're already here.
THE ARRIVAL marks the directing debut of writer David Twohy (THE
FUGITIVE and the under-appreciated TERMINAL VELOCITY), and he demonstrates
such a keen understanding of what makes an action thriller work that it
seems he was born for the job. In the first minute of the film, he
grabbed me by the collar with a beautifully constructed opening sequence,
and for the next 109 minutes he simply refused to let go. There are
sequences in THE ARRIVAL which play like textbook examples of how to build
tension, particularly one involving a room full of scorpions which is
guaranteed to have you squirming if you have a pulse. There is a kind of
suspense which plots based on paranoia are much better at generating, and
Twohy nails it, as well as turning it to humorous effect by connecting the
greenhouse effect and the failure of the Hubble telescope to alien
visitors.
That is really what separates THE ARRIVAL from the pack: a sense of
humor which surpasses most of the so-called comedies I see in any given
year. Sheen has a solid, deadpan sense of comic timing which worked well
with Twohy's TERMINAL VELOCITY script, and again he wraps each line in a
wry self-awareness. Zane is not a particularly dynamic role -- he's
gung-ho about finding extra-terrestrial life, but it's never quite clear
why -- and another actor might have given it more depth. However, Sheen
makes the comic lines feel un-scripted, and he appears to be adept at
playing Twohy's favored hero -- a resourceful individual whose actions
under duress seem natural and basically intelligent. Plus, there is a
priceless irony to Sheen, the most notorious and unapologetic customer of
"Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss, reading the line, "There's something to be
said for abstinence."
THE ARRIVAL is so effective in some of its early scenes that the big
sequence in the aliens' lair comes as something of a disappointment, since
Twohy seems less concerned with maintaining the pace than he is with
showing off his visual effects. There are a few logical errors I caught
upon reflection, and the abrupt ending is likely to leave some viewers
feeling a bit unsatisfied. But THE ARRIVAL is a rarity so far this summer
movie season: it is a smart and tightly-plotted film that I couldn't
always out-guess, and didn't always find myself _trying_ to out-guess. I
was so instantly aware of how skillfully David Twohy could manipulate me
that I simply let him. And that, friends, is how I define "willing
suspension of disbelief."
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 illegal aliens: 8.
--
Scott Renshaw
Stanford University
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~srenshaw
o help us understand
her; she is merely presenting us with the facts of an individual's life
and the world surrounding that individual. I SHOT ANDY WARHOL is
exceedingly well-documented, and that makes it great journalism. Mary
Harron directs her actors and her environment to perfection, and that
makes it great theater. What is missing is human drama, and a sense of
what this story is really about. That, quite simply, does not make a
great film.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 shots in the dark: 7.
--
Scott Renshaw
Stanford University
http://www-leland.stanford.edu/~srenshaw
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Mon Jul 15 13:45:44 1996
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From: BXBE64F@prodigy.com (Larry Mcgillicuddy)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews
Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by Larry McGillicuddy
Copyright 1996 Larry McGillicuddy
*** (out of 4)
Directed by David Twohy
Starring Charlie Sheen, Lindsay Crouse, Teri Polo, Ron Silver,
Tony T. Johnson
Review- So many science fiction films nowadays only seem
concerned about special effects, action, and don't focus
enough on story and characterization. Well, David Twohy has
directed from his screenplay, and come up with a truly
intelligent and clever sci-fi thriller. Every year comes at
least one movie where you go in with low expectations and
come out genuinely surprised. This is that movie for this
year.
Charlie Sheen stars as Zane, a radio astronomer who listens
for sounds from other lifeforms. When he finally gets one,
his boss destroys the tape and fires him. Naturally, Zane is
not ready to give up, and he comes up with an ingenious way
to do this himself. He is aided by a young neighborhood kid
and they discover that the sound is coming from Mexico. So
Zane goes down there to investigate, and runs into a lady
studying why the temperature of the earth has dangerously
risen so suddenly. Zane is having marital problems at the
time, and an offer by her to spend the night with him is
very tempting. Hearing Charlie Sheen deliver the line, "I
guess there is something to be said for celibacy" is the
funniest thing I have ever heard in a movie since Matthew
Broderick discussed asexual reproduction in Wargames.
This is just the setup, and I don't want to give too much
away, because a large part of the movies fun is the
surprises. Charlie Sheen, who has had a rocky career as of
late, is in top form here. He is funny, serious, and
determined to accomplish his goal. Sheen's absolutely
terrific performance is another big plus to this movie. The
story is ingeniously devised by Twohy, who also wrote and
directed the equally clever cable movie Grand Tour: Disaster
In Time. The films major flaw is a very slow pace, and not
much happens in the earlygoings. Viewers may be growing
restless for a while, but trust me if you stick around and
keep your head in it, you will have a good time.
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Mon Feb 10 17:04:02 1997
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From: ben.hoffman@bcsbbs.com (Ben Hoffman)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews
Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1997 Ben Hoffman
Over the years there have been very few science-fiction films that have
turned me on, for the simple reason that they are usually hokey,
completely unbelievable It was therefore a pleasure to watch a film
of that genre that deals with the subject matter that is based on
current scientific knowledge. Further, the music, composed by Arthur
Kempel, fits perfectly with the story yet is unobtrusive; the sets are
realistic, and the special effects by Charles L. Finance were exactly
right for the film. In short, not only is the story a good one, it
includes a warning for those of us for whom Planet Earth is our only
home. Pretty nearly everything in the film is superb.
Zane Zaminski (Charlie Sheen) is a scientist whose hobby is listening
to the skies for a sound, an indication, that life on some other solar
system is trying to communicate with us. He spends night after night,
for many years, just listening with huge antennas. This leads to
neglect of his wife, Char (Teri Polo) as he cannot tear himself away
from his "hobby." Working and listening with him is another scientist,
Calvin (Richard Schiff).
It is generally conceded by most people who are knowledgeable about
such things that mathematically, it is almost a certainty that given
the incredible number of solar systems, with each star in the heaven
being a sun, that Earth is the only place where a life form exists. It
therefore is reasonable to assume that one day we will hear from them.
To the great delight and awe that their dream and efforts have come
true, Zane and Calvin hear and see on their computer's monitor what
can almost surely be a signal from some far away solar system. They
record the sound and the picture on the screen and rush to their
superior at the JPL laboratory to show what they have found.
To their astonishment, their boss, Gordian (Ron Silver) belittles the
whole thing and tells them to forget it as it is only nonsense. They
beg him to take a look at the tape and give him a copy. When they
leave, he breaks the tape and throws it in the trash. Ron Silver, by
the way, straightfaced throughout the film, gives a great performance
as one of the key figures in the film.
Shortly after the discussion with Gordian, Zane is fired because of
downsizing??? The next day his friend, Calvin, is killed. He is one
among others who mysteriously die. Is someone trying to keep a
secret? Is the government afraid that news of communication with
another solar system will panic the people on Earth?
At this point, the film begins to pick up even more speed and
excitement. There is the pre-teen black kid neighbor, Kiki (Tony T
Johnson) who is curious and Zane lets him in to his lab and shows him
the computer.and other instruments. Kiki will play an important part
in the film as it develops. Scientist Ilana Green (Lindsay Crouse) is
worried about the increasingly warm weather the Earth is having each
year, as we all should be. If this continues the ice at the poles
will begin to melt and our seas will rise and the beaches and nearby
cities will be under water. It is something about which the
governments of the world (as well as the people) should be concerned.
Here, then, is a fine film you will not want to miss. It is unlike any
science-fiction film you have ever seen. Charlie Sheen is great as the
serious scientist who wants to get to the bottom of what he sees as a
conspiracy. Find out about the Aliens for yourself!
Screenplay by and directed by David Twohy
Rating: 3.5 Bytes
4 Bytes = Superb
3 Bytes = Too good to miss
2 Bytes = Average
1 Byte = Save your money
Ben Hoffman
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Tue Mar 25 15:45:37 1997
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From: ram@iris3.carb.nist.gov (Ram Samudrala)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews
Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by Ram Samudrala
Copyright 1997 Ram Samudrala
Would you guess that the greenhouse effect and global warming is
caused by aliens trying to make this planet more hospitable? I
wouldn't, but that's the premise behind /The Arrival/. Given all the
theories about the global warming phenomena, this doesn't seem that
incongrous, and that's what makes /The Arrival/ a decent sci-fi
flick.
Zane Zimnski (Charlie Sheen) and Calvin (Richard Schiff), two SETI
operatives, intercept a communication signal from the alien planet,
Wolf-336. Zane passes it on to his boss (Ron Silver) and he is
immediately fired, and Calvin is found dead. However Zane doesn't
give up and intercepts another signal, this time from planet earth to
the aliens. In an attempt to track down the location, he flies to
Mexico where he finds everything isn't quite what it appears to be.
This is really a great movie as far as sci-fi movies go, and I regret
not seeing it on the big screen. Sheen is convincing as a paranoid
nerdy astromer. The plot itself is reasonably rigourous, and it
avoids many of the cliches and easy solutions found in other movies.
There is also quite a bit of suspense, one in a scene involving the
scorpions, and in not knowing who Zaminski can trust. The
cinematography is quite novel, which sometimes leads to a horror-movie
atmosphere. /The Arrival/ also teaches us a lesson about environment
pollution. This is definitely worth renting.
me@ram.org || http://www.ram.org || http://www.twisted-helices.com/th
Movie ram-blings: http://www.ram.org/ramblings/movies.html
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Thu May 22 17:18:25 1997
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From: inkpot@webvisions.com (The Flying Inkpot)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.movies.reviews,rec.arts.sf.reviews
Subject: REVIEW: THE ARRIVAL (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL
A film review by Mr. Twiffle
Copyright 1997 Flying Inkpot
Directed by: David N. Twohy
Written by: David N. Twohy
Cast: Charlie Sheen (Zane Ziminski), Ron Silver (Phil Gordian), Lindsay
Crouse (Ilana Green), Teri Polo (Char), Tony T. Johnson (Kiki), Richard
Schiff (Calvin Leon Rippy)
Produced by : Orion Films
Rating : ***1/2
Run Time: Approx. 115 Minutes
Despite having Charlie Sheen as its lead (with a goatee, no less, and as
a radio astronomer. eww!) and a tacky environmental message, THE ARRIVAL
is a nicely paced movie with good special effects that don't yell "Big
Budget" in your face the whole time you're watching it.
Sheen plays Zane Ziminski, an obsessive paranoic scientist who
along with his partner (Richard Schiff) records a clear radio
transmission from space one night. Despite initial rejoicing, things don't
develop the way you'd expect when the authorities receive evidence of this
transmission. Ziminski gets fired, his partner gets killed and suddenly the
whole world's just a heck of a lot more complicated for Ziminski than he
likes.
It's hard to say what else happens without giving everything away. Trying to
track and reconfirm the same signal he received, Ziminski builds a makeshift
satellite while masquerading as a cable man (I guess there are more than
just movie stars on Cable Vision!), and his discoveries soon lead him to an
ominous-looking plant in Mexico. There he meets an environmentalist whose
work is increasingly troubling in its extraordinary reports on the earth's
atmostphere.
The story probably sounds a little cliched, but THE ARRIVAL is a better
movie than usual, and recent, alien fare like INDEPENDENCE DAY, or SPECIES.
This is because it develops, and keeps to, an almost believable storyline,
one that engages the viewer continually as it reveals information in various
steps throughout the movie. Director Twohy, who was a screenwriter for ALIEN
3 and THE FUGITIVE, also does a good job of building and maintaining
suspense, preferring wisely not to just rely on the special effects team for
impressing its audience.
All in all, I'd say this movie's worth its S$7 ticket. Hey, anything that
makes me want to watch it through despite having Charlie Sheen in its lead
role is worth seven bucks.
The Flying Inkpot Rating System:
* Wait for the TV2 broadcast.
** A little creaky, but still better than staying at home with Gotcha!
*** Pretty good, bring a friend.
**** Amazing, potent stuff.
***** Perfection. See it twice.
____________________________________________________________
This movie review was written for THE FLYING INKPOT:
an arts and entertainment magazine from Singapore. Current
film reviews can be found at: http://www.inkpot.com/film/
____________________________________________________________
From rec.arts.sf.reviews Tue Jul 8 07:04:04 2003
From: Dragan Antulov
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Subject: Retrospective: Arrival, The (1996)
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THE ARRIVAL (1996)
A Film Review
Copyright Dragan Antulov 2003
Alien civilisations, for simple reason of being alien, might have
morality completely different than our own and for them
annihilation of humanity might not be such a bad thing. Even
"politically correct" Hollywood accepted this, and in mid 1990s this
resulted in alien invasion films, best known of them being
INDEPENDENCE DAY. Roughly in the same time with 1996
spectacle, David Twohy directed THE ARRIVAL, science fiction
thriller using the same concept.
The protagonist of the film is Zane Zaminski (played by Charlie
Sheen), government-employed radio-astronomer who has just
discovered signals proving existence of alien civilisations. He
immediately reports his findings to his boss Phil Gordian (played by
Ron Silver) only to be unpleasantly surprised by being fired and
having proof of his discovery destroyed. Zaminski doesn't give up
and uses his new job of satellite television technician to create radio-
telescope of his own. He discovers not only alien civilisations signals
but also someone communicating with aliens from Mexico. He
travels there to investigate and meets Ilana Green (played by Lindsay
Crouse), scientist who had recently discovered huge increase in
global temperatures - a phenomenon that can't be explained by
industrial pollution or natural causes.
THE ARRIVAL was made with budget significantly lower to
INDEPENDENCE DAY, but the lack of visual splendour or huge cast
was compensated with a David Twohy's script, incredibly intelligent
for 1990s Hollywood standards. Whole alien invasion plot is
presented as low-key affair, a perfidious plan that could be noticed
only by the most brightest and perceptive of all humans. This
allowed Twohy to create atmosphere of anxiety, fear and paranoia by
showing the events from the protagonist's perspective and allowing
the audience to build the disturbing images in their heads. Another
reason why the plot, despite some of logical flaws, works is in its
major element being borrowed from the real life newspaper
headlines - global warming. The pace of the film is deliberately slow
in the beginning, but it all pays off in the second half of the film when
action elements come as more natural elements of the plot. The
special effects are also very good. The acting is also quite good,
although Charlie Sheen is at times hard to swallow as brilliant
scientist; the scenes in which he has to be an ordinary man in
extraordinary situations are much better. THE ARRIVAL has some
problems with unnecessary subplot involving Zaminski's girlfriend
and the ending is somewhat disappointing, but the general
impression of this film is such that it represents a rare 1990s example
of Hollywood taking science fiction seriously.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
Review written on June 4th 2003
Dragan Antulov a.k.a. Drax
http://film.purger.com - Filmske recenzije na hrvatskom/Movie Reviews in
Croatian
http://www.purger.com/users/drax/reviews.htm - Movie Reviews in English
http://www.ofcs.org - Online Film Critics Society
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