This article calls 'Arrival' as 'One of the Best Sci-Fi Films of the Century' but was it? I tried it and I was like ... 'meh' (www.msn.com)

submitted 1 year ago by inkican@kbin.social to c/scifi@kbin.social

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spoilers ahead I felt like the character conflict arcs were contrived and ultimately the idea of learning a language makes you a pre-cog fell flat for me. In science fiction, the big idea goes 'woo!' or the characters go 'woo!' but in the case of Arrival, nothing really went 'woo!'

But maybe I'm wrong - what was I missing about Arrival?

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[-] Pegatron@kbin.social 25 points 1 year ago

I don't think some pseudo science jargon about tachyons in her delta waves would have enhanced the story. The how isn't important, what matters is the way it changes her life and how she deals with it. It's an exploration of the Sapir-Worf hypothesis but given more of an emotional tinge. I also loved the design of the aliens and the way they living outside linear time affected their culture and personalities.

[-] 00@kbin.social 4 points 1 year ago

I don't think some pseudo science jargon about tachyons in her delta waves would have enhanced the story.

Its not. It doesnt try to give a hard science explanation, it gives an explanation of perspective that offers actual insight. Ted Chiang doesn't write hard science fiction, but it's very well thought out science fiction, imo.

this post was submitted on 23 Jun 2023

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