The first teaser for Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming Arrival cut off at a crucial moment, leaving much of the film’s plot obscure. The full trailer, however, gives us at least some of the goods. Amy Adams’ linguist Louise Banks takes off her hazmat suit—much to the chagrin and worry of her compatriots—and is greeted by a mollusk-type creature. Though, yes, there is the threat of violence from these visitors, the footage focuses more on Louise’s attempts to learn their language and communicate with them as a means of avoiding conflict. “We need to make sure they understand the difference between a weapon, and a tool,” she explains. “Language is messy and sometimes one can be both.” Also tricky, getting global superpowers to cooperate when fear hangs over the planet. So, yes, we’re getting an invasion movie with a heavy dose of allegory.
Arrival lands in theaters November 11, after a tour on the festival circuit.