Release Date: May 31, 1996
Starring: Charlie Sheen, Teri Polo, Lindsay Crouse, Ron Silver, Richard Schiff, Tony T. Johnson
Directed by: David N. Twohy
Distributed by: Orion Pictures Corporation
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (some sci-fi violence and terror, brief language)
There's good reason to think that The Arrival will have a certain foothold - if only a small one - in the attention of the American public. Currently, and perhaps inherently, viewers have a subconscious liking for conspiracy theories and UFO stories. Particularly as evidenced by the Fox television series, The X-Files, and moreso by articles that occasionally grace the covers of noteworthy tabloids, people like to hear stories involving the supernatural. Though it has moments of campiness or fun at the expense of its own genre, make no mistake: The Arrival is a seriously fun alien encounter tale.
The only big name here is Charlie Sheen, who appears on-screen - goatee and all - for the first time in two years. Sheen is Zane Ziminski, a radio astronomer who aquires a non-Earth-based signal early one morning. However, the signal vanishes before Zane and his partner Calvin (Richard Schiff) can confirm it, and all they have is 45 seconds of tape. Their boss, Phil Gordian (Ron Silver), won't move on it, and at this decision Zane is distraught. He quits his job, but he can't live the discovery down, and soon, as a cable repairman, he finds a way to again listen to the stars. And, against all odds, he acquires the signal again - but this time it's Earth-based, specifically somewhere in Mexico.
Zane takes off on a field trip to investigate, and it's here that the first signs of alien encounter sci-fi begin to truly creep in. Whereas Zane's first actions seem to be those of every curious astronomer, the movie opens up onto a much wider playing field. The sci-fi that's involved here is some of the best that's hit mainstream cinema in quite some time. Minus the hundred-million-dollar price tag, this is the genre at what it's supposed to be: a cleverly scripted foray into the pit of man's fears and the peak of his imagination (as Rod Serling might say). Granted, Director David Twohy hasn't completely left the special effects behind, but he's done quite well with a minimal amount.
The cast isn't terribly awesome - Charlie Sheen was all that was managed in big names. Fortunately enough, everyone does well on their own and Twohy can even get them to come together at times. The Arrival is not big on character relationships, because at its center is the story of Zane Ziminski and his supposedly paranoid mind. This is unfortunate, because given the nature of the alien encounter it would've been nice to have seen how the players worked together. All in all, there's nothing fantastic about The Arrival, other than its enjoyability and entertainment value. While not a prime example of the genre, it does do well in upholding the storied tradition, and most viewers will find it understandable and intriguing.
all contents © 1996 Craig Roush