In search of lost time

To think in a language is to think in time. The first word comes first, and the second only second. That makes us slaves, both of language and of time. What would it be like to meet a creature that can think differently? A creature which is beyond the restrains of both language and time. What existential crises can such a meeting possibly bring forward? In a shake-up of the age-old genre of science fiction films, director Denis Villeneuve explores what consequences an encounter with a different sort of intelligence could have.

The plot begins like that of many sci-fi flicks, but soon takes a turn for the better. About 12 unidentified space objects land in various parts of earth on an otherwise ordinary day. They are huge black structures that float just above the surface of the earth, and what's even scarier is that there are creatures living inside it. Scientists and the military are at a fix as to how this strange haunting should be viewed. They realise that nothing can be done unless someone manages to translate what the aliens are saying, and they call linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) for the purpose, along with scientist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner). Banks succeeds in decoding their message little by little, trying to find the purpose of their visit, only to find out the deep philosophical problem that lies at the middle of it all.

The film is simply a must-watch, surely one of the best movies of recent times. The director takes care to not fall into the cliches of the science fiction genre, and comes out with an original and deeply moving film. The film is miles ahead of your average Hollywood flick, and to be especially noted is the acting of Amy Adams. Also, the story is perfectly told, and manages to keep the suspense going till the very end. If only more people made films like these!

To think in a language is to think in time. The first word comes first, and the second only second. That makes us slaves, both of language and of time. What would it be like to meet a creature that can think differently? A creature which is beyond the restrains of both language and time. What existential crises can such a meeting possibly bring forward? In a shake-up of the age-old genre of science fiction films, director Denis Villeneuve explores what consequences an encounter with a different sort of intelligence could have.

The plot begins like that of many sci-fi flicks, but soon takes a turn for the better. About 12 unidentified space objects land in various parts of earth on an otherwise ordinary day. They are huge black structures that float just above the surface of the earth, and what’s even scarier is that there are creatures living inside it. Scientists and the military are at a fix as to how this strange haunting should be viewed. They realise that nothing can be done unless someone manages to translate what the aliens are saying, and they call linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) for the purpose, along with scientist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner). Banks succeeds in decoding their message little by little, trying to find the purpose of their visit, only to find out the deep philosophical problem that lies at the middle of it all.

The film is simply a must-watch, surely one of the best movies of recent times. The director takes care to not fall into the cliches of the science fiction genre, and comes out with an original and deeply moving film. The film is miles ahead of your average Hollywood flick, and to be especially noted is the acting of Amy Adams. Also, the story is perfectly told, and manages to keep the suspense going till the very end. If only more people made films like these!