the new movie from steven spielberg takes a big swing when it comes to writing and presenting a story and i think audiences are confused about whether it works or not

i have not seen a spielberg movie in quite some time and his latest releases have been going in very different directions. i think he has experimented a lot and this film feels like a return to prime science-fiction times (like minority report, a.i. or war of the worlds). i think what he does here is so original and it slaps the entire sci-fi genre across the face, especially after everyone is doing just random alien-space-invasion slop movies right now (not including project hail mary)

there were some obvious highlights of the movie that i have to mention straight out: emily blunt was fantastic (i think you could say she was playing "the audience" as she was as confused as us throughout the entire film and her level of understanding was rising at the same time as ours...food for thought) and the camera work and pacing were immaculate, so many weird shots with creative blockings and splits that added to the vibe of the scene

the way the story unfolds and the timeline of the events in this film is a highlight for me. from what i understand, this aspect is what a lot of people held against it and what many found "confusing" or "unnecessary", but it is such a breath of fresh air tbh. it has been a long time since a movie had me guessing the hell out of the ending before seeing it unfold. i was on the edge of my seat for a large chunk of it and some scenes and reveals had me gasping. i mean ... isnt that what cinema is about??? come on guys, enjoy some creativity even when its not up your alley!

i think it asks the right questions at the right time and in the right context. on one side there is this plot with fbi/cia/state intelligence, espionage, burner phones, etc. that makes sense in the beginning and helps with that dynamic of keeping you clueless. on the other side, it then starts to migrate into this complex and mysterious discussion about religion, life, aliens, belief and humanity that never stops, even after the film has ended. the ending made me doubt it at first, but the more i thought about it, the more it made sense for the structure of this film. it has elements of comedy from this overall confusion, ways that characters interact that seem odd and this weird mix of different tonalities, but again, i think it makes sense. i can see how this might not work for other people, though

dont get me wrong, i am not saying this is a perfect movie by any means. after praising it this much, it might be hard to argue against it, but there are some creative decisions that i dont necessarily agree with. these decisions that regard the script, the mix of genres and the overall mystery of the film are probably the main reasons that make the film so polarising

the verdict

i invite people to watch this in cinemas asap (i saw it quite late after release) and make sure to see it with as many people as possible in order to make sure you have plenty of subjects to discuss on the way back home. sit with it for a while, think about it a day after the film ended and be open to loving it. it is not perfect, but it is spielberg showing us again (after quite some time) that he truly does cinema