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Sci-fi thriller

The Arrival (1996): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Arrival (1996) movie poster

The Arrival is a 1996 sci-fi thriller directed by David Twohy, starring Charlie Sheen, Richard Schiff and Ron Silver. It runs 1 hour 55 minutes and earned $14.1 million worldwide. Critics gave it 56 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.2/10.

IMDb rating
6.2/10
worldwide gross
$14.1M
Metascore
56
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The Arrival (1996) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 55m (115 min)
Director
David Twohy
Genres
Sci-Fi , Thriller
Original language
Italian
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Arrival About?

The premise of The Arrival without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A linguist is recruited by the military to communicate with extraterrestrial beings that have arrived on Earth. As she learns their language, she begins to have vivid memories and experiences that challenge her perception of reality. She must unravel the secrets of the aliens' purpose and confront a looming global crisis, all while questioning the nature of time and her own identity.

The Arrival Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • african american boy
  • black hole bomb
  • investigation
  • mexico
  • alien
  • conspiracy
  • paranoia
  • power station
  • disguise
  • alien invasion
  • liquid nitrogen
  • elevator
+38 more
  • terraforming
  • satellite dish
  • global warming
  • surprise ending
  • alien disguised as a human
  • assassin
  • frozen to death
  • bare chested male
  • false identity
  • underground base
  • radio signal
  • scientist
  • climatologist
  • boyfriend girlfriend relationship
  • black hole
  • observatory
  • murder
  • world domination
  • surveillance
  • bathtub
  • scorpion
  • broadcast signal intrusion
  • radio telescope
  • kinetic orbital desk toy
  • earth viewed from space
  • climate change
  • climate disruption
  • hit by a car
  • attempted murder
  • severed arm
  • character repeats someone else's dialogue
  • betrayal
  • montage
  • public telephone
  • framed for murder
  • payphone
  • pay phone
  • border
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Cast & crew

The Arrival Cast

Charlie Sheen leads the cast, with Richard Schiff and Ron Silver. Directed by David Twohy; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from David Twohy

More films directed by David Twohy, best-rated first: A Perfect Getaway, Pitch Black, Riddick and Below.

Full filmography
Ratings

The Arrival Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Arrival 56 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.2/10.

Plot

The Arrival Plot Summary

What happens in The Arrival from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Zane Zaminski, portrayed by Charlie Sheen, is a radio astronomer working for SETI who makes a groundbreaking discovery: an extraterrestrial radio signal emanating from Wolf 336, a star located 14 light years away from Earth. Eager to share his findings, he reports to his supervisor, Phil Gordian, but his claims are met with skepticism and outright dismissal. Facing unforeseen consequences, Zane is fired due to alleged budget cuts and promptly blacklisted, which effectively bars him from employment at other telescopes.

Full summary

The whole story of The Arrival, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Arrival Box Office

The Arrival grossed $14.1 million worldwide.

1996 box office

Worldwide gross

$14.1M

US & Canada
$14.1M
Videos

The Arrival Trailers & Videos

2 videos: 2 trailers.

The Arrival - Trailer
  • Trailer The Arrival (1996) trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Arrival?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the main character of the movie?

Cars

Cars in The Arrival

21 cars on screen, including the 1981 Chevrolet C-20 and the Jeep CJ-7.

All 21 cars
  • 1981 Chevrolet C-20 in The Arrival 1981 Chevrolet C-20 Important role
  • Jeep CJ-7 in The Arrival Jeep CJ-7 Important role
  • 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee in The Arrival 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee Important role
  • 1968 SAAB V4 Station Wagon in The Arrival 1968 SAAB V4 Station Wagon Important role
Details

The Arrival Also Known As

30 alternative titles, including “Shockwave” and “Primer contacto”.

Also known as
  • Shockwave
  • Primer contacto
  • L'Arrivée
  • สงครามแอบยึดโลก
  • Die Ankunft
  • The Arrival - Die Ankunft
  • 天袭
  • Evrenin Sırrı
  • Прибытие
  • Han llegado
  • Invaze
  • Galaktikus támadás
+18 more
  • Eles Chegaram
  • Η άφιξη
  • ההגעה
  • Mesaj din spațiu
  • Spotkanie
  • A Invasão
  • 어라이벌
  • アライバル/侵略者
  • Hyytävät hetket
  • Пристигането
  • L'avènement
  • Atvykimas
  • Dolazak
  • Han arribat
  • Прибуття
  • 外星人入侵
  • Invázia
  • Prihod

Seen The Arrival?

FAQ

The Arrival FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of The Arrival, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Arrival?

The Arrival runs 1 hour 55 minutes (115 minutes).

When was The Arrival released?

The Arrival was released on May 31, 1996.

Who directed The Arrival?

The Arrival was directed by David Twohy.

More films by David Twohy

Who is in the cast of The Arrival?

The Arrival stars Charlie Sheen, Richard Schiff and Ron Silver, among 10 credited actors.

How much did The Arrival make at the box office?

The Arrival grossed $14.1 million worldwide.

How is The Arrival rated?

The Arrival has 6.2/10 on IMDb, 56 on Metacritic and 60% on TMDB.

Does The Arrival have a post-credit scene?

No. The Arrival has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is The Arrival in?

The original language of The Arrival is Italian.

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