Let me say I'm a big sci-fi fan. I remember this movie coming out and getting slammed with horrible reviews. Critics and audiences alike seemed to revile this movie. I avoided it for several decades, only finally sitting down to watch it for the first time recently. My question is...Why? Why the hate? Why the revulsion? Is it the greatest movie ever? Certainly not. Is it deserving of all the hate it got? I don't think so honestly. Again, it's certainly no Oscar winner, but I've seen way worse stuff than this. The good parts? I liked the build up of the conspiracy and the tension made about who Charlie could trust and so on, and how he was being betrayed, set-up, etc. Surprisingly for a Sci-Fi movie I found the tension quite effective enough to keep me going. If it hadn't been sci-fi involving aliens, it would probably have been regarded as a decent thriller/suspense movie. Now the bad stuff. It could have just as easily been called "Charlie Sheen: The Movie". There seems to be very few times when he isn't constantly on screen, being the center of attention. Granted he's the main character, but it just had a whiff of "I'm the most important actor in the universe" behind it. Yes there was his work buddy, his gf/wife, the lady scientist...but they seemed practically non-existent for the most part, allowing for no interest/attachment/investment in their characters. And frankly, Charlie wasn't at his best here...if he had a best. Charlie just always seemed on the edge of boredom or complete apathy sometimes. When certain people die, get injured, or during the tense trek through the alien compound/ship he just didn't sell any of the emotions that should have accompanied these scenes. The movie certainly had some pacing issues, particularly once Charlie is in Mexico and the lady scientist comes into the picture, but while taxing it wasn't 'grueling'. I've heard people talk about the bad effects of the aliens, but honestly, for the time period...I don't think they were that horrendous, I've seen better, and I've seen worse. Had I seen this back when it came out I probably would have actually considered it a very decent movie, but as it stands...I still think its acceptable and might actually find myself sitting down for a second go through.
Review of The Arrival
