The Arrival
1996 · Movie · PG-13 · 115 min · ★ 6.0 · 61% critics
After picking up a strange signal that may not be from Earth, a scientist is abruptly discredited and pushed out of his job. Determined to learn the truth, he follows a trail of clues that spirals into a tense maze of paranoia, hidden agendas, and unsettling discoveries.
Also known as Shockwave
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Details
- Years
- 1996
- Release date
- 1996-05-31
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG-13
- Runtime
- 115 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 61/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.0/10 (837 votes)
- Budget
- $25,000,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a 90s alien-conspiracy thriller with steady suspicion and a climate-warning angle, in the vein of Dark Skies; Not for you if you need fast pacing, subtle themes, or consistently tight plotting.
Pros: strong conspiracy build-up; tense paranoia vibe; memorable creature moments | Cons: uneven pacing; heavy-handed message; messy late stretch
Themes
- greenhouse effect
- global warming
- alien
- extraterrestrial
- astronomer
- conspiracy
- scientist
- alien invasion
- foot chase
- desert
- climatologist
- observatory
- +9 more
Cast & crew
Charlie Sheen
as Zane Zaminski
Lindsay Crouse
as Ilana Green
Richard Schiff
as Calvin
Ron Silver
as Gordian
Teri Polo
as Char
Phyllis Applegate
as Mrs. Roosevelt
Tony T. Johnson
as Kiki
Alan Coates
as Terraformer
Leon Rippy
as DOD #1
Buddy Joe Hooker
as DOD #2
Directed by David Twohy