Denis Villeneuve has made a name for himself as one of the most talented directors of his generation, and while he has received a lot of attention recently for Dune: Part Two and its predecessor, his 2016 science fiction movie is arguably even better. Denis Villeneuve has many great movies, but his sci-fi films are special standouts. Although Villeneuve’s first Dune movie was already incredible, Dune: Part Two was even better.
Despite Denis Villeneuve’s Oscars snub, Dune: Part Two was one of the best movies of 2024. It is full of great performances and beautiful cinematography, and it is an impressive adaptation of complex source material. While Dune introduced the character of Paul Atreides and the planets of Dune, Dune: Part Two delved even deeper to explore the main character’s shift from a hero to a potential villain. With Dune 3 on the way, Villeneuve’s career will continue to be ᴀssociated with Dune for a while. That said, his best sci-fi movie might be 2016’s Arrival.
Arrival, Not Dune: Part Two, Is Denis Villeneuve’s Best Sci-Fi Movie
Arrival Has An Incredible Emotional Base That Is Layered With Great Sci-Fi
Dune: Part Two is undeniably a great film, but Arrival is still my favorite Denis Villeneuve movie. Arrival centers on the arrival of 12 alien spacecraft at different points of the earth and the race to figure out what it is that the species wants from humanity. In attempting to decipher their messages, the US Army recruits linguist, Louise Banks, and physicist, Ian Donelly, to help understand the circular messages of the aliens. As the film progresses and tensions rise around the globe, Louise develops a connection to the aliens.
Arrival is a very detailed and complex work of science fiction that is as impressive upon rewatch as it is seeing it for the first time. The plot of Louise and Ian attempting to communicate with the aliens before other countries cut off their connections keeps the film moving, but the emotional depth of Amy Adam’s performance as Louise is the true heart of Arrival. An incredibly intelligent woman and a mother grieving the loss of her child, Adams’ Louise is a woman whose desire and loss lead her to a discovery that changes everything.
From close-up emotional moments for the characters to sweeping scenes, Arrival is an all-around beautiful movie.
On the whole, Arrival is incredibly emotional and feels incredibly human. Its characters are imperfect, but still likable and relatable, making audiences want to root for their success. Even beyond the emotional basis of the film, Arrival is also beautifully sH๏τ. From close-up emotional moments for the characters to sweeping scenes, Arrival is an all-around beautiful movie with an incredibly clever story.
Arrival & Dune 2 Both Highlight A Major Villeneuve Strength
Both Films Are Visually Beautiful
Arrival and Dune: Part Two both have very entertaining plots, but it is truly Denis Villeneuve’s talent as a visual storyteller that brings them to life. As a director, Villeneuve is much more focused on using what is on the screen as a visual language to create emotional impact and move the plot along rather than dialogue. For both Dune: Part Two and Arrival, Villeneuve takes the source material and uses the imagery that those books create to move the story along, creating very strong and visually intriguing films.
Bradford Young was the director of pH๏τography for Arrival, while Greig Fraser was the director of pH๏τography for Dune: Part Two.
In fact, Villeneuve himself has expressed his feelings toward dialogue, arguing that “pure image and sound [are] the power of cinema.” While this admission is certainly still clear from Dune: Part Two, Arrival perfectly encapsulates the director’s sentiment. Because the film is so strongly about communication, Arrival required a very strong visual language to bring it to completion in a way that was widely comprehensible to audiences. The aliens’ language is understood so clearly through its visual presentation that the movie would not truly work without Villeneuve’s skill at bringing it to life.
Denis Villeneuve Is The Current Sci-Fi Movie Master
His Sci-Fi Works Speak For Themselves
While Denis Villeneuve has made some really great thrillers as well, there is no denying that he is one of the best sci-fi directors working today. Both of the Dune movies are incredible, and the third is sure to join those ranks. Still, Arrival is such a unique science fiction story, and it is strengthened by Villeneuve’s direction and the emotional performances. Beyond these three films, Villeneuve also directed Blade Runner 2049 in 2017, marking another very strong addition to the genre and a worthy if imperfect follow-up to the original.
All of Denis Villeneuve’s science fiction movies are visually diverse, yet the style is always undeniably his. Unsurprisingly, Villeneuve’s sci-fi movies have been met with strong praise across the board. While I loved Dune: Part Two and cannot wait for Dune 3, I’m also excited to see what Denis Villeneuve will do after that, regardless if it’s sci-fi or not.
