The Arrival of Wang (4½ Stars)

We all know what happens in science fiction films. If an alien comes to Earth he speaks English and he lands in America, usually New York. Sometimes he can speak English due to the existence of a "universal translator", but in most cases it's assumed that English is the universal language. As for picking New York to arrive, isn't that where everyone in the universe wants to go to? Immigrants from Russia, Italy and Ireland have passed through Ellis Island, desperate to become Americans, so why shouldn't Martians and Venusians do the same?

Despite my sarcasm you know there's truth in what I say. But "The Arrival of Wang" tells a different story. An alien arrives from a distant galaxy. He speaks Chinese, and he lands in Rome. Gaia, a young Italian woman who writes subtitles for Chinese films, is hired to interpret for him. At first she tries to remain calm and do her job, but the brutality of the interrogation methods forces her to take a stand.

This is a very eerie film, and the slow pace aids in developing the atmosphere. This is the only recent Italian film I've seen, not including films made by Italian directors in English, such as "The Legend of 1900". It's proof that a film doesn't need a big budget to be good. I greatly enjoyed it.