A modern classic of the sci-fi genre, Villeneuve subverts expectations at every stage and turns a theme fundamental to human existence into something even deeper. A story which at first glance appears to be an innocuous tale of aliens arriving on Earth as they have in so many works of entertainment before molds into a tale about the long-overdue 'arrival' of empathy and transparency in communication within the people directly involved in the events of the movie.The nuance with which aliens are portrayed as a peaceful people is largely unheard of. Amy Adams steals the show in the acting department, giving a layered, intellectual and deeply emotional performance, while Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker and the heptapods play second fiddle admirably. Overall, this film is an absolute masterclass in how to narrate a story that becomes much more than just the sum of its parts. The only thing holding it back is its sagging musical score, but that can in no way take away from this magical work of cinema.