Arrival Review: 10 Reasons It's An Instant Classic

Sci-fi is at its best when its telling a story that simply couldn’t be done without its out-there elements. While of course there's merit to be had in taking a classic genre and transplanting it to the far-flung future or deep space, the movies that really resonate are those where the character arcs and the narrative logic are completely relatable.

Looking at the recent rise of smart sci-fi, we’ve seen examples that go both ways – Gravity’s the story could work in any remote situation, making the film purely about the experience, while Interstellar needs wormholes, time dilation and the power of love to function coherently – and Arrival is just a perfect example of how it can be done right.

You couldn't show Louise's journey without the hovering aliens and life-changing linguistics. But equally the more corporeal elements wouldn't be as compelling without her familiar grounding.