I can say with a certain amount of confidence that I am not a big fan of the sci-fi genre. I think it’s surprising since I find the actual premise of science fiction interesting. However, when it comes to the movies and the books, my interest tends to fade.
Arrival is somewhat different than other sci-fi movies. The emphasis that is placed on language is refreshing when compared to the never-ending science fiction films that are primarily action-based. While this film did have explosions of it’s own, they were never at the core of the film. Language played the largest role. This was set up in the movie from the very beginning, when it was seen to revolve around a linguist. The film’s emphasis on language showed the importance that it has on everyday lives and the way that we communicate. Although the film did place some extra qualities to language (it is science fiction), just the communication among the countries in the film when tensions were the most high show how a few simple words can change an outcome. The movie showed the importance of language as a way of reaching people and being able to empathize with others in a way that promotes better relations.