Director Denis Villenueve’s “Arrival” is unique among sci-fi films for its thoughtful and humane depiction of alien first contact. Visually, cinematographer Bradford Young uses a muted color palette and an austere sense of composition to create an atmosphere of foreboding and awe. This new video essay focuses on Young’s use of silhouettes, a technique used with great frequency in the film and for good reason. In “Arrival,” the protagonists are put in the uncommon position of representing their entire species. As Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner try to reach an understanding with the aliens, they must confront and transcend the biases and limitations that come with their humanity. Accordingly, many shots focus not on the characters’ faces, and thus their individuality, but on their physical form, in ways channeling their similarities and common humanity. Most films use more close-ups, dramatizing the emotions of one person, but “Arrival” is trying to focus on something bigger than all of us, and the cinematography reflects that.
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The excellent use of silhouettes in “Arrival” will be no surprise if you’ve followed Villenueve’s career. His previous film “Sicario” featured unforgettable silhouettes of covert soldiers stalking western landscapes at sunset and a deft use of silhouettes and shadows in 2013’s “Enemy” is a large part of the film’s doppelganger-fueled fun.