“Arrival,” starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, is based upon the short story “Story of Your Life,” by Ted Chiang.

In the film, Dr. Louise Banks (Adams) is a well-respected professor of linguistics. When the world is invaded by 12 unidentified flying objects, Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) contacts Banks to translate what the newcomers are trying to communicate. Countries around the world desperately attempt to make sense of the symbols and unfamiliar sounds, but Banks and Donnelly (Renner) work as a team, using the science of space and of language to develop not only a means of communication, but to find out what these creatures’ intentions are.

“Arrival” takes the study of language and all of its components and meshes it perfectly with the fear of the unknown — going face-to-face with alien creatures. It uses humor to lay the groundwork of language acquisition, balancing tension and relief.