Is that necessarily a bad thing? In this case no. The film is imaginative and contemplative. Nolan haters will, yes, hate it, but the rest of us will dissect it for the years to come. This movie will inch him closer to Nolan's throne. What Villeneuve is doing is building up a strong fanbase that will follow him in any project he embarks on. Did I mention he's going to be doing "Blade Runner 2" as his next film? Expect "Arrival" to surprise the industry with the box office it is about to get. Villeneuve is for real.
Back in August, director Jon Turteltaub claimed "National Treasure 3" was finally happening, with Cage. The cheers were loud. The headlines were everywhere. Turns out, nobody told Nic.