Rent Contact (1997)

'2001: A Space Odyssey' updated to the 1990s. Recommended. - Contact review by RP

I seem to have watched rather a lot of sci-fi films recently - and here's yet another...

'Contact' covers a lot of ground: first contact with an alien civilisation, conflict - or at least tension - between science and religion, the role of women in science, personal loss and family, political / military machinations, and the power and influence of rich, powerful men in control of multinational corporations.

Fitting all that lot into a 140+ minute film was always going to be tricky and a script that avoids the ridiculous even more so. But somehow it works - and that seems largely down to the very excellent cast (Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt et al) and the directing skills of Robert Zemeckis. Even Bill Clinton gets a look in as the US Prez, using gently doctored live footage.

It's all quite slow moving, tension builds slowly (but it is there) and there are some mawkish moments, but these come across as moving rather than (as happens too often in American for this viewer's taste) sick-making. Yes, the 'first contact' theme has been tackled many times before in pulp SF novellas from the 1940s onwards and of course in film, examples including Steven Spielberg's 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' and 'ET'.

I'd describe it more along the lines of '2001: A Space Odyssey' updated from the 1960s to the 1990s. Of its type it's rather well done - I'll give it 4/5 stars. Recommended

Hollywood does good! - Contact review by CP Customer

This eponomously-named film is based closely on cosmologist Carl Sagan's book. It handles big ideas with a fair degree of integrity and apart from Mathew McConaughey's rather pop-up performance as an unlikely Fundamentalist preacher friend of Ellie (Jodie Foster), is a realistic portrayal of what might just happen if we really did make contact with aliens. The only other films that handles this sort of material well (i.e. not like the comic-book Star Wars or Star Trek) is Kubrick's 2001 and, arguably, Aliens. Robert Zemeckis is associated with lighter fare (Back to the Future, Roger Rabbit) but here he allows Sagan's vision and challenging ideas to shine - albeit in a glossy Hollywood-ized wrap-around. And no, I don't buy John Hurt's mega-mogul character - but it's still a good device to stitch the film together and keep the action moving along. If you haven't seen CONTACT, it's a great ride - and marvel at the wonderful opening pull-back through space... truly inspirational and (really) awesome!

Philosophical Tension - Contact review by griggs

As someone who admittedly struggles with sci-fi, I was surprised by how much I appreciated the film's exploration of the philosophical tensions between science and theology. The central debate, which pits empirical evidence against faith, is thought-provoking and adds depth to a visually impressive spectacle. However, the film is undeniably overlong. They say that if you can cut 10% of a film, you should cut 20%, and Contact would undoubtedly benefit from some serious trimming. The pacing sometimes drags, with scenes that contribute little to the overall narrative.

The timescales depicted in the movie also strain credibility, adding another layer of unbelievability to a story that already requires a significant suspension of disbelief. This detracts from the film's impact, making it harder to fully immerse oneself in the story.

As for Jodie Foster, while she is undoubtedly a great actress, this performance feels weaker than her other roles. Her portrayal of Dr Ellie Arroway lacks the nuance and emotional depth that might have elevated the character beyond the somewhat formulaic role the script offers.

This is a film with interesting ideas and spectacular moments. Still, it ultimately falters due to its bloated runtime, unrealistic timelines, and a performance from Foster that, while competent, doesn't reach her usual standards.