Synopsis

Radio astronomer Zane Zaminsky detects a signal from intelligent life beyond Earth, but his superiors dismiss the discovery and destroy his evidence. Fired and secretly blacklisted, Zane continues investigating while working as a satellite-dish installer. His search uncovers an alien plan to alter Earth's climate, forcing him into a dangerous conspiracy that reaches from government laboratories to remote radio telescopes.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film was developed under the working title "Shockwave."

• Filming took place primarily in Mexico, with additional material shot at California's Owens Valley Radio Observatory.

• The alien creatures were created digitally by Pacific Data Images, the effects company later known for work on films including "Batman Forever."

• The environmental storyline sets the alien conspiracy apart from more conventional invasion movies, using climate change and terraforming as central science-fiction ideas.

• A direct-to-video sequel, "Arrival II," followed in 1998.

• A Windows video game based on the film was released in 1997.

• The original laserdisc edition included commentary, documentaries, and alternate endings. These extras were not carried over to later DVD and Blu-ray releases.

• The film was released on May 31, 1996, shortly before "Independence Day," whose large-scale alien-invasion spectacle overshadowed it at the box office.