Notes, page 13

I don’t really know how to rate comedies. Much less this.

What an awe-inspiring juggling act. Not just in terms of story, but (more impressively) in structure, characterization, and tone. And yet, not a single ball is dropped. This film is excitingly original and delightfully well executed.

Beautiful, unconventional, relentlessly tense. Arrival nails the uneasy, humbling atomsphere of facing the unknown.

Favorite detail: how the exact shape of the alien “pods” is kept ambiguous through clever camera angles, only to be progressively revealed throughout the film as different views are shown. Quite fitting.

The Blade Runner sequel seems to be in very good hands.

An overall enjoyable film, thanks to good performances and some amazing visuals. The taxi scene sticks out as an amazing feat, and a cool nod to Children of Men’s oner.

My problem is with the script. Being about revenge, it does a poor job of selling the main character’s taste for it. Not much attention is given to how the main character is transformed into a psychopath — the film seems only interested in exploring the gory end result of that transformation. There is no “descent into madness”; the main character seems to take an express elevator straight to the bottom floor.

While other revenge flicks like Oldboy or The Man From Nowhere offer revenge as catharsis, this film seems content in presenting it as a fetish.

Unbelievably great.

Instead of just being weird for weird’s sake (I’m looking at you, Alice in Wonderland), the bizarre setting is used to amplify the emotional punch of the story. Everything is there for a reason, and it all feels seamless and coherent. The writing is never preachy or heavy-handed, while delivering fascinating character development. A masterclass in “show, don’t tell”. Above all, I love the optimism this film places in the power of kindness. Such a simple, powerful concept — so well executed.

It seems like action blockbuster increasingly means superheroes. That would be fine if not everything had to be part of an “extended universe”. These films all feel exactly the same, and it’s by design. Meh.

Still, this was enjoyable; had some fun parts despite the thin plot and characterization. Only some of the main characters seem to have any depth at all, and (what could be) interesting plot points are instantly squandered in favor of more fighting. Oh, well.

This is made to please as many people as possible, and it shows. I just wish more varied kinds of action films still fit that description too.