With the art and the words of Islay Arboleda, Editor
Sometimes, cinema finds us at the exact moment we need an answer. It wasn’t the sci-fi or the mysteries of the heptapods that kept me glued to the screen with tears in my eyes; it was Arrival’s ability to force me to dig deep into my own feelings. I have experienced devastating losses—the loss of my grandmother, my father, the struggle for my mother’s health, and other farewells that have marked my life—and watching Louise face her destiny hit me with an unavoidable question: what would I do?
You cannot talk about this film without mentioning its sonic heart. The work of the late Jóhann Jóhannsson is, simply put, a transcendental experience. His passing was a profound loss to the art form, but his spirit lives on through the echoes of his compositions. In this film, the music doesn’t try to tell you how to feel with harsh sounds; instead, it whispers in your ear and allows you to breathe the same grief and hope that Amy Adams masterfully interprets. It is an atmosphere that makes the outside world disappear.
This work wouldn’t be possible without the masterful direction of , who makes the impossible feel mundane. His vision transforms an alien invasion story into an intimate treatise on time and communication.
Amy Adams’ performance is simply heartbreaking; her ability to convey immense vulnerability while carrying the weight of the entire narrative is a lesson in acting. Alongside her, Jeremy Renner provides the necessary emotional support, embodying an Ian who also chooses love despite the uncertainty. All of this is anchored by visual effects so subtle and realistic that they make the heptapods and their technology feel as real as we are.
It is essential to highlight Forest Whitaker’s solid performance as Colonel Weber. His screen presence provides the necessary dose of pragmatism and military tension that masterfully contrasts with Amy Adams’ introspective sensitivity. Whitaker succeeds in building a character who, far from being a mere antagonist, becomes the grounding anchor that gives weight to the uncertainty of the situation, delivering an impeccable acting performance that rounds out the narrative of this film
The cinematography of Arrival is a masterful exercise in restraint and atmosphere. Bradford Young opts for a naturalistic lighting approach and a desaturated color palette, utilizing an «available light» aesthetic that steers the film away from conventional sci-fi tropes. Instead of seeking grandiose visual spectacle, the camera remains intimate and close, capturing the organic textures of the environment and Louise Banks‘ vulnerability. This deliberately dark and somber approach reinforces the sense of mystery and emotional weight, allowing the presence of the heptapods and their technology to feel tangible and profoundly real within our own world.
What I found truly heartbreaking—and yet beautiful—was Louise’s conscious choice. She knew what was coming. She had the option to say “no,” to save herself the suffering and the loss, but she chose love. I found myself there, asking: What would I do? Is pain too high a price to pay for happiness? Watching her, I understood that choosing pain is, in reality, the greatest act of courage in our humanity. Because to renounce pain is, inevitably, to renounce the deepest part of our capacity to love.
We live in an era where feeling too much seems like a mistake; where wearing armor is rewarded and vulnerability is dismissed as foolish. But after this journey, I reaffirm: love—in all its forms, with its absences and silences—is what gives meaning to our time here. It isn’t about avoiding the pain of loss, but about being grateful for the miracle of having loved enough for that loss to transform us. Ultimately, I have understood that, just like Louise, I too choose to face my own destiny, embracing every lesson and every emotion, no matter what the path brings.
Full Credits: Arrival (2016)
Creative Team
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Screenplay: Eric Heisserer
Based on the short story «Story of Your Life» by: Ted Chiang
Producers: Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Aaron Ryder, David Linde
Cinematography: Bradford Young
Editing: Joe Walker
Production Design: Patrice Vermette
Costume Design: Renée April
Original Score: Jóhann Jóhannsson
Main Cast
Louise Banks: Amy Adams
Ian Donnelly: Jeremy Renner
Colonel G. Weber: Forest Whitaker
Agent Halpern: Michael Stuhlbarg
General Shang: Tzi Ma
Captain Marks: Mark O’Brien
Hannah: Julia Scarlett Dan
Production Information
Production Companies: FilmNation Entertainment, Lava Bear Films, 21 Laps Entertainment
Distribution: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: November 11, 2016
Running Time: 116 minutes
Budget: $47 million
Language: English
Accolades & Nominations
Arrival received widespread critical acclaim, garnering major recognition during the 2017 awards season:
Academy Awards (Oscars):
Won: Best Sound Editing (Sylvain Bellemare)
Nominated: Best Picture
Nominated: Best Director (Denis Villeneuve)
Nominated: Best Adapted Screenplay (Eric Heisserer)
Nominated: Best Cinematography (Bradford Young)
Nominated: Best Film Editing (Joe Walker)
Nominated: Best Production Design (Patrice Vermette, Paul Hotte)
Nominated: Best Sound Mixing (Claude La Haye, Bernard Gariépy Strobl)
British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA):
Won: Best Sound
Nominated: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress (Amy Adams), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Music, Best Editing, and Best Special Visual Effects.
Golden Globe Awards:
Nominated: Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama (Amy Adams)
Nominated: Best Original Score (Jóhann Jóhannsson)
Additional Distinctions:
American Film Institute (AFI): Selected as one of the Top 10 Films of the Year.
National Board of Review: Won Best Actress (Amy Adams) and named one of the Top 10 Films of the Year.
Critics’ Choice Awards: Won Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie.
If you have also wondered what you would do if you had to choose between the refuge of “no” or the risk of “yes,” I would love to read your thoughts. At islayarboleda.com, there is always a space for those who, far from fearing intensity, embrace it as our purest way of being alive.
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