I said it was less than perfect, but not that it was less than fantastic!

With Renner, his scientific relevance was so insignificant that he might as well have been just another soldier there. It didn’t spoil the movie, just felt like a lost opportunity. I was expecting something more like Foster and McConaughy in Contact, where their opposing philosophical viewpoints actually come into conflict.

Renner’s character is a little thin, but this is mostly about Adams’ character so it isn’t a major issue.

For anyone who has already seen it, I also recommend reading David Bordwell’s essay at – http://www.davidbordwell.net/blog/2016/11/23/arrival-when-is-now/