Review of Contact

Review(rəˈvyo͞o) of Contact(ˈkänˌtakt)

By Roger Ebert

“Contact” is a film that takes place at the intersection(ˌin(t)ərˈsekSH(ə)n) of science(ˈsīəns), politics(ˈpäləˌtiks) and faith(fāTH). Those are three subjects that don’t always fit easily together. In the film, an alien(ˈālyən,ˈālēən) intelligence(inˈteləjəns) transmits an image of three pages of encrypted(inˈkript, enˈkript) symbols(ˈsimbəl). It is clear where the corners of each page are. It is also clear that the three corners are intended(inˈtendəd) to come together in some way to make single image. Scientists are baffled(ˈbafəl) in their attempts to bring the pages together. The solution, when we see it, provides(prəˈvīd) an Eureka(yo͞oˈrēkə, yəˈrēkə) Moment. It is so simple, and yet so difficult to conceive(kənˈsēv) of. It may be intended as a sort of intelligence test.

Watching the film again after 14 years, I was startled(ˈstärdl) by how bold(bōld) it is. Its heroine(ˈherōən) is a radio astronomer(əˈstränəmər) named Dr. Eleanor(eˈlənor) Arroway(arōwā) (Jodie Foster(ˈfäs-,ˈfôstər)), who is an atheist(ˈāTHēˌist). In the film she forms a cautious(ˈkôSHəs) relationship with Palmer(ˈpä(l)mər) Joss(jäs) (Matthew(ˈmaTHyo͞o) McConaughey(məkänəhē), a believer in God who writes about science. Key roles are played by science advisors(ədˈvīzər) to the President(ˈprez(ə)dənt,ˈprezəˌdent), who see aliens, God and messages from space all in cynical(ˈsinək(ə)l) political(pəˈlidək(ə)l) terms. They justify(ˈjəstəˌfī) their politics with the catch-all motive(ˈmōdiv) of “national defense(diˈfens,ˈdēˌfens).”

When the movie(ˈmo͞ovē) was released(rəˈlēs) in July 1997 I had more or less the same beliefs I have now about the existence(igˈzistəns) of God and the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. Yet reading my review I find the movie didn’t seem as brave(brāv) to me then as it does now. Perhaps that’s because I’ve since become involved in so much discussion about Creationism(krēˈāSHəˌnizəm), another topic that stands at the intersection of science, politics and faith. Hollywood(ˈhälēˌwo͝od) treats movies like a polite(pəˈlīt) dinner(ˈdinər) party: Don’t bring up religion(rəˈlijən) or politics.

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https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-contact-1997