Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016), based on Ted Chiang’s novella Story of Your Life, is not a typical science fiction film. It unfolds like a linguistic mystery, reveals itself like a puzzle box, and ends with a revelation that forces viewers to question the very nature of time, memory, and choice.
For many, the film’s initial viewing raises as many questions as it answers. But rewatching Arrival—armed with the knowledge of its core twist—transforms the experience entirely. Suddenly, cryptic scenes become profound.
Offhand moments gain emotional weight. And the time theory at its heart reveals itself as the film’s most compelling narrative device. So, does Arrival make more sense on a rewatch? Absolutely—and here’s why.
The twist that changes everything
The first-time viewer is led to believe that Arrival opens with a traditional flashback. We see linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams) narrating the birth, life, and premature death of her daughter. These scenes are emotionally powerful, but they are also assumed to be part of her past—a tragic backstory that shapes her somber, detached demeanor when alien ships arrive on Earth.
However, the twist reveals that these are not flashbacks at all. They are flash-forwards—visions of the future made possible by Louise learning the alien language, Heptapod B. This language isn’t just a way to communicate; it reshapes the user’s perception of time. By learning it, Louise’s mind adopts a nonlinear view of time, seeing future events with the same clarity as past ones.
This inversion challenges how we process the entire film. What initially seemed like a story about interstellar diplomacy turns out to be an introspective journey about fate, love, and acceptance. Understanding this the second time around gives viewers an entirely different lens through which to interpret each scene.
Rewatching with new eyes
Once you know the truth about time in Arrival, everything changes:
- When Louise sees flashes of her daughter, they are not grief-stricken memories but glimpses into a life she hasn’t lived yet.
- Dialogue that once seemed cryptic—like General Shang whispering his wife’s dying words—is now loaded with significance and causality loops.
- The aliens’ arrival, initially viewed as a standard extraterrestrial encounter, becomes symbolic of humanity’s readiness to expand its perception of time and choice.
Scenes that felt ambiguous or confusing on first watch become poignant and purposeful on the second. For instance, Louise’s increasing disorientation while learning the language mirrors her mind adjusting to perceive time nonlinearly—a transformation that is subtle but crucial to grasp on rewatch.
The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis in action
A core theme of Arrival is linguistic relativity, specifically the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which suggests that the structure of a language affects its speakers’ worldview or cognition. In the case of Arrival, the alien language’s unique syntax—circular, non-sequential symbols—does more than alter thought; it rewires perception. Time, for the Heptapods, is not linear. It is experienced all at once.
By mastering this language, Louise begins to experience time in the same way. This allows her to access future memories as if they were present ones. A rewatch helps viewers trace the progression of this cognitive shift, offering a deeper appreciation of how language and thought are intrinsically linked in the film’s universe.
| Concept | Description in Arrival |
|---|---|
| Linear Time | Human perception: past → present → future |
| Nonlinear Time | Heptapod perception: all points in time experienced simultaneously |
| Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis | Language shapes thought; Heptapod B reshapes time perception |
| Heptapod B Language | Written in circular glyphs; no beginning or end |
This table highlights the philosophical underpinnings of the film, which are often better appreciated once the viewer understands the implications of Louise’s transformation.
Louise’s choice and emotional paradox
Perhaps the most emotionally resonant aspect of Arrival becomes fully clear only on a rewatch: Louise chooses to embrace a life she already knows will end in pain. By the end of the film, she has fully absorbed Heptapod B and seen her future with Ian (Jeremy Renner) and their daughter, including the eventual tragedy of the girl’s terminal illness.
Knowing what lies ahead, she doesn’t walk away. Instead, she moves forward, cherishing each moment with full awareness of their impermanence. This decision transforms Arrival from a film about alien contact into a meditation on love, fate, and the human condition. It invites viewers to ask: if you knew how your story would end, would you still live it?
This emotional dimension is far more potent on a second viewing. The foreknowledge of Louise’s internal conflict imbues even mundane interactions with meaning. Her stoic expressions take on new layers of depth, not as apathy, but as silent courage.
Time loops and narrative structure
Arrival also plays with causality loops, a concept familiar to fans of time-travel fiction. One standout example is the interaction between Louise and General Shang. In a future vision, she remembers him thanking her for using his wife’s dying words to convince him to stand down. But the only way she learns those words is when Shang tells her in the future — a paradox that exists outside of conventional logic.
This moment exemplifies the film’s nonlinear storytelling. What’s remarkable is how deftly Arrival handles these loops without devolving into confusion. On rewatch, you can follow the breadcrumb trail with greater clarity, spotting how future knowledge bleeds into Louise’s present decisions.
How Villeneuve’s direction supports nonlinear time
Denis Villeneuve uses visual cues, sound design, and cinematography to reinforce the film’s time theory:
- The recurring motif of circles—from the alien glyphs to the way scenes are framed—echoes the circular nature of time.
- The score by Jóhann Jóhannsson swells and fades in hypnotic loops, with tracks like “On the Nature of Daylight” acting almost like a musical metaphor for the film’s themes.
- The subdued color palette and careful pacing slow the viewer down, subtly guiding them into Louise’s altered perception.
These elements often go unnoticed on a first viewing but become strikingly intentional when revisited.
Final thoughts: does ‘Arrival’ make more sense the second time?
Unquestionably, yes. Arrival is a film designed not only to be watched but to be rewatched. The brilliance of its structure, the elegance of its emotional throughline, and the depth of its philosophical questions all become more apparent after the twist is known.
It’s not just about understanding plot points better. It’s about experiencing the story through the same lens as Louise: seeing all moments at once, understanding their weight, and choosing love and purpose despite the inevitability of loss.
By presenting time as nonlinear, Arrival challenges us to rethink how we view life itself. And only through the act of returning—again and again—do we begin to grasp the full scope of its message.