With enormous suspension of disbelief, you can enjoy Arrival

The Villeneuve/Amy Adams vehicle, Arrival, treads familiar ground - invasion of space aliens puzzles scientists and diplomats around the world and stirs fear in the hearts of millions excepting the select enlightened few who make a sincere effort to communicate with the invasive force (think ET, for ex.) - but admittedly the movie has some good twists of plot especially toward the end, which is perhaps needlessly complex but does tie the strands together. One of the nice twists is that Adams plays an academic linguist whom the Army dragoons as they need someone who can possibly learn the language of the aliens or teach them (one of) ours. So it's a movie, in some ways, about language and communication. Yes, it requires an enormous suspension of disbelief to go with this movie, but that's what much of sci-fi is about: not just a "what if" but more of an "imagine this." So, yes, there's something automatically creepy and disturbing when we enter into the world of this film: huge alien space ships hovering over 12 seemingly randomly selected spots across the planet. And the use of news clips of rioting and chaos across the world are too close for comfort. And, like all invasion movies (I think), human life will prevail - and in this movie with, in some ways, an upbeat, feel-good ending. You don't have to buy into the whole show; probably best not to think about the unlikelihoods and the improbabilities and just enjoy the ride and Adams's fine performance in the lead role.