Two Oscar winners star in ‘masterpiece’ sci-fi thriller now on Amazon Prime | Films | Entertainment

A “masterpiece” sci-fi film now streaming on Amazon Prime is being showered with praise by devoted fans.

Contact (1997) follows the story of Dr Eleanor “Ellie” Arroway (Jodie Foster), an American scientist dedicated to the search for extraterrestrial life, who intercepts a mysterious signal from deep space.

It quickly becomes apparent that it is a cryptic message transmitted by alien life, and Dr Arroway is charged with making first contact.

The film boasts a stellar cast, including two Oscar winners (Foster and Matthew McConaughey), alongside James Woods, Tom Skerritt, William Fichtner, John Hurt, Angela Bassett, Rob Lowe, Jake Busey, and David Morse.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film is based on renowned astronomer and planetary scientist Carl Sagan’s 1985 novel of the same name.

Viewers have flocked to IMDb to lavish the drama with glowing reviews, with one writing: “This, for me, is a masterpiece. I have enjoyed it more with each viewing.

“Carl Sagan was a great man. He promoted science in the way it should be, portraying the profound mysteriousness of our universe with humility, and without dogma.”

The film’s ending remains somewhat divisive, with one fan writing: “Much has been made of the last 1/4 of this film, with many viewers feeling a let down.

“I get that. The amazing build up and tension in the third quarter of the film is quite unexpected, but if you approach the final quarter thoughtfully, you’ll see that it makes perfect scientific sense.

“That’s rare in any science fiction film pitched to mass audiences.”

Another described it as a “very pensive, intelligent movie that is times heartbreakingly sad”.

They likened it to the 2001: A Space Odyssey of the nineties, “since that movie was obviously somewhat of an inspiration”.

“The ending may disappoint somewhat at first view, but actually turns out to be quite haunting if you give it a chance. Enjoy wonderful acting, great direction and amazing special effects. Read the book first though. You won’t regret it.”

A reviewer noted there are “certainly are more than just passing similarities” to Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterwork, though “whereas 2001 relied on hardware to (almost) the exclusion of all else and placed a greater emphasis on “spectacle”, CONTACT strives for more substance on the human and sociological level”.

“It touches one’s emotions in a way that most movies never attempt to, much less succeed.”

Contact is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.