Roger Ebert Showered High Praise on Charlie Sheen's 1996 Sci-Fi Misfire
Orion Pictures
At the beginning of the summer movie season in 1996, critics were expressing their frustrations over what they saw as the growing emptiness of big studio releases. They felt disillusioned with movies like "Twister" and "Mission: Impossible," arguing that these films prioritized thrilling action sequences and dazzling visual effects over coherent storytelling and character development. Michiko Kakutani, a cultural critic for The New York Times, lamented, "Not only are traditional narratives with clear beginnings, middles, and ends becoming increasingly rare, but fundamental elements of dramatization, character, and structure may also be at risk of vanishing entirely."
While I can understand the criticism of "Twister," my main concern was that it failed to effectively convey the genuine terror associated with tornadoes. Regarding "Mission: Impossible," I think the plot, driven by a MacGuffin, holds up quite well; it seems the critics were perhaps struggling to keep pace with its rapid-fire tempo. Nevertheless, every major summer film that year faced this kind of critical scrutiny, which resulted in perfectly decent B-movies receiving unwarranted acclaim simply for taking a breath and telling a straightforward story.
One such film was David Twohy's alien invasion thriller starring Charlie Sheen, titled "The Arrival." This movie is an intelligent, well-acted piece that builds nicely to a rewarding conclusion. Produced on a budget far smaller than that of "Twister," it managed to surprise critics who expected yet another run-of-the-mill science fiction flick. Roger Ebert emerged as one of its most ardent supporters, mainly because it didn’t indulge in the over-the-top silliness that characterized many other summer releases (though this enthusiasm wasn’t sufficient to save the film from commercial failure).
What "The Arrival" Lacks in Technical Flash, It More Than Makes Up For in Intellectual Depth
Orion Pictures
In his glowing three-and-a-half-star review, Ebert highlighted how "The Arrival" stood in stark contrast to "Mission: Impossible." He noted, "'The Arrival' is as clever as 'Mission: Impossible' is foolish." The film features Sheen as a radio astronomer working with SETI who believes he has intercepted an extraterrestrial signal originating from a star located 14 light-years away from Earth. After being abruptly dismissed from his position following his discovery, he takes a job as a satellite dish technician, allowing him to set up a network of dishes to monitor the signal. In a humorous moment, Ebert admitted he wasn’t sure whether the protagonist’s plan would actually work, but he appreciated the character's enthusiasm, writing, "I like his attitude." It seems that when you're enjoying a film, even the more questionable scientific concepts can be overlooked!
Ebert also commended "The Arrival" for its surprising plot twists, strong performances, and Twohy's creative visuals. He was particularly fond of a plot twist (which he revealed in his review, though I'll refrain from spoiling it here as it’s genuinely impressive) and felt that Twohy had discovered a fresh approach to depicting an alien invasion. While I may fundamentally disagree with Ebert's views on "Mission: Impossible," I will concede that "The Arrival" serves as an excellent precursor to Robert Zemeckis' "Contact," which was released a year later. Perhaps most memorably, it features Sheen delivering the unforgettable line, "Actually, I look like a bag of smashed a**holes." For that reason alone, it's certainly worth your time.
