The initial connection felt right, but there were issues with how things were conveyed. The movie was alright. There are so many variations out now—remakes, reboots, spin-offs, or whatever they're labeling them these days—that it’s hard to immediately identify them. Similar to 'Prometheus' and 'Alien,' this film brings back echoes of earlier works, but most people think ‘Contact’ was the main influence. The fact that it received eight Oscar nominations seems excessive. I understand some viewers enjoyed it, and while it was a good movie, that doesn't automatically make something worthy of an Academy Award. I can accept the recognition for its technical aspects; it certainly earned that. Visually, it was quite impressive, but not a showcase of elaborate special effects. It’s simply a science-fiction drama with some suspenseful moments, especially near the conclusion. The narrative follows humans attempting to communicate and understand the intentions of visitors from another world who have landed their ships in twelve different places around the globe. The story primarily takes place on American soil, where specialists are assembled to decipher the alien language. What happens next is revealed as the story continues. It feels like this could easily be a trilogy; it really ought to be. I found it enjoyable, mainly because of its dramatic nature. Science-fiction is usually linked with action, adventure, and thrills, but this drama felt different compared to today’s cinema dominated by computer graphics. It's geared towards families and older audiences. Young people generally prefer action and violence; therefore, it’s a film you could watch once and get the full experience. _7/10_

Source on TMDB