The Arrival (1996)

Movie Review
This is an old movie with a good story line. Because I am used to seeing more fantastic and realistic special effects circa 2001 to the present, a movie made in the 20th century which would have been rated five stars, nowadays rates only 2 1/2 stars

"Arrival" of a top-notch Sci-Fi flick
"The Arrival", quite frankly, is near the very top of my most favorite Sci-Fi movies of all times (just behind Star Wars/Star Trek). I won't go into the plot... but trust me... if you like excellent special-effects, you'll find nothing disappointing... as a matter of fact, the beginning scene is a fantastic effect which takes you from a patch of grass and flowers, surrounded by snow and ice, then pulls back (out) all the way to a position in Earth's orbit in a few short seconds (very well done). The story-line is solid, believable, makes sense, and what you might expect IF the events actually were true, and well told.

If you have interests in 'global warming', this'll ring a bell... even though, the cause is fiction (we think) ; ) ... the dialog totally works... the characters all work, and work well together. There are some places for 'comic relief', which all totally fit, without over-doing it. And the pace of the film is just right... not too slow, not too fast. I'll say this... just about the time you first wonder when the sci-fi part is gonna start, it's starts... and how! The music seems to fit perfectly... I especially liked the little Myan flute/vibe piece when Zane is first in his yellow jeep rental, down in Mexico. Short... but it sets the 'feel'.

This film has some elements of a 'who done it', where the viewer is given a series of clues... but no matter how good you think you are, you absolutely will not figure out what's next. It also has what initially looks like a bit of a 'conspiracy theory' happening... and as the film progresses, you begin to realize just how massive and deep-rooted it actually is. The ending... or what you think is the ending, is a surprise, and goes right back to the conspiracy... and how good these aliens actually are.

The locations/scenes/sets/models are excellent, and a complete fit... flawless and quite impressive, especially beneath the power-plant. The distant scene of the power plant in central Mexico looks completely real... right down to the condors slowly soaring on the currents above it.

If you're like me, you really hate it when movies or TV shows don't bother with 'continuity' or double-checking facts. The film's second scene introduces the primary character (Charlie Sheen), who is a radio astronomer. Sheen does a top-notch job of acting... totally authentic and believable... and the astronomical references are right on target.

IMO, David Twohy did a fantastic job of directing. Supporting actors, Lindsay Crouse, Ron Silver, Leon Rippy, and really everyone... all contribute quite well. How this film snuck past me at the box office, I'll never know. But if you are a true Sci-Fi buff, you'll want this one in your collection... it's a film you can pull out when you have friends over, and probably none of them have ever heard of it... but they won't be disappointed (and neither will you). This is one that you could 'risk' showing to friends, without having seen it first, all will enjoy it, and you won't end up with egg on your face. It's not too heavy in the gore-N-guts department... really nothing excessively violent, so kids can probably watch. There's only one brief 'buff scene'... but it doesn't really show much. Probably more than anything else... I'd say several scenes will inspire 'awe'... like jaw-dropping wOw!

Now- when I pruchased my DVD, I was surprised to find that it was actually a two-sided DVD, with "The Arrival II" on side 2 (although, I wouldn't expect it, unless it actually says you get both I & II).

"The Arrival II" was initially disappointing for me... as no one from the first film are in the second. The script is weaker... the acting doesn't seem to work as well, and the plot just doesn't go where you'd think it would logically go. It's almost as if some Hollywood executive woke up in the middle of the night, and said "I got it... we'll do 'The Arrival II', and that'll be way-kewel". But, you get the impression that no one from the first film wanted anything to do with the project. (kinda makes ya wonder).

But- that's not to say it's a bad, or poor film. It does help if you've seen the first one, prior. But it's like the graveyard-shift punched-in, picked-up the ball, and carried it off (and that's all that is really familiar about the film... the alien's ball*). (* As seen in the first film, this is a metal sphere, larger than a softball, but smaller than a basketball... the aliens use it to literally 'wipe a room completely clean'... of everything in the room, and sometimes beyond the room. When activated, it lifts up of the ground, pausing motionless momentarily, then one section slides open emitting light... the sphere begins to spin... a second section opens... then a third. As it's speed increases, it's like it is pulling objects and matter with gravity, and just like in a black-hole, everything revolves around the 'event horizon' until ultimately, it is all pulled into the balck-hole. The same thing happens here, except on a highly localized scale. Finally, the sphere sucks itself out of existance, leaving the room it was placed in completely bare.) The alien sphere's are used twice in "The Arrival (I)"... one of them completely destroys a huge radio-dish in the desert (great effect, too!... you can even see the wind and dust being drawn into the building)(very realistic).

So- I guess my bottom line is... for sure... buy "The Arrival". If "The Arrival II" happens to be on the other side... great. But I wouldn't buy the "Arrival II" on it's own merrit. It's better than most of 'made by the sci-fi channel' for TV movies... but is like weak tea compared to the first Arrival.

It was a'right
Charlie Sheen stars as a scientist who discovers a mysterious signal from outer space. After this miraculous discovery, he is laid off and forced to setup a lab at his house using the filched bandwidth from his neighbor's satellite dishes. Soon Charlie rediscovers the signal but also discovers a return signal broadcasting from earth.

This was an intriguing bit of science fiction. I liked the premise, and found myself interested to know the origins of the signal. But I felt the plot (particularly Sheen's character's infiltration of the Mexican power plant) a tad hokey. Sheen's girlfriend was very annoying and the aliens a tad too easy to overcome.

Overall It wasn't bad, but nothing that overwhelmed me. 3 stars. Average.