Expanding Horizons: An Analysis of Contact

In the film Contact, starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey, there seems to be an overarching theme of attempting to establish communication with those who may, or may not, be out there. Even the opening scenes depict the human element of perseverance in young Ellie’s repeated queries “CQ CQ WR2 GFO, …WR2 GFO, comeback”. The film also conveys a deep sense of religious agnosticism, where there is more intrigue into the ‘what if’ of life on other planets than there is a resounding profession of faith. As such, any explicit faith in God, or any deity for that matter, is met with restrained skepticism, if not contempt, as a lack of concrete evidence is the scientific equivalent of being proven wrong. Conversely, however, certain characteristics of the film depict the struggles between those of faith and those without.

An equally compelling theme in this movie is explicitly introduced in a conversation between Palmer and Ellie in which they converse on the existence or non-existence of God. Ellie simply cannot grasp the concept that an educated and intelligent human being could ever arrive at the conclusion that all things in the universe were created by an all-powerful God. Incredulous at the mere thought, she challenges Palmer to prove to the existence of God to her. Of course, Palmer understands that there is no evidence to produce in defending his argument, but in response he asks Ellie that if she ever loved her father, to prove it to him. Ultimately, however, through a series of trials and tribulations, a comprehensive state of understanding is achieved that demonstrates how people from different backgrounds, belief systems, and ideologies can find common ground and live in harmony.

David Drumlin is clearly the adversary of this film as nearly every facet of his character is in opposition to those of Ellie. Though while Drumlin takes a number of steps in solidifying his position as the adversary in this film, the role of villain is later shared with the character Michael Kitz. Kitz is the government man that always seems to swoop in and steal the credit at the last moment. Following the worldwide media alert addressing the reception of some foreign signal of unknown origin, Kitz organizes a press conference where President Bill Clinton bestows recognition of the discovery upon Drumlin rather than Ellie. However, the adversarial role in this film jumps around from one character to the next.

Characters that occupy the adversary role in “Contact” comprise Drumlin, Kitz, and even Palmer. And while Drumlin maintains the post throughout much of the film, there are a number of scenes where Kitz, representing the entire presidential cabinet, is the primary adversary. The initial media coverage of the discovery represents the bulk of time that Kitz assumes the adversarial role, and there are a number of other instances where his collaborative relationship with Drumlin makes him out as the villain of the story, if only temporarily. Moreover, the role of Palmer also serves to act in an adversarial manner when questions arise as to the eligibility of Ellie as one whom will represent the entire race of mankind. In publicly questioning her about her beliefs in a God, Palmer’s role assumes an adversarial one, as it is the deciding factor that keeps her from boarding the original machine. However, there are many more instances where her intractable personality get her into trouble.

Ellie has a very distinct propensity, even from an early age, to attempt to rationalize not only the events in her own life, but the entire universe. When her father dies she cannot simply endorse that it was an act of God, some supreme being that reigns from on high, and asserts that if only she had kept some medicine in the downstairs cabinet, her father might have been saved. When her father dies, Ellie’s relationship with the unknown, with the ‘what if’ of the universe, undergoes a significant transformation. While initially one of her primary sources of satisfaction in life, this search for life in the universe develops a consoling nature as it is to her radio that she turns in that time of crisis. Searching for her father in the sea of airwaves is likely what drives her to become a scientist. Still, Ellie is a character with a number of flaws that nearly resulted in her ruin.

Another detrimental character flaw of Ellie is her utter obsession with the search for extraterrestrial life to the exclusion of life’s other activities. While such a vocation or avocation is not, as a matter of fact, a cause for concern, expressly stating that she does not care if colleagues think her crazy, or whether or not she is ever published, or taken seriously, sheds some light on the deeper, implicit motivations that drive her. Such a mentality is indicative of an individual who has but one purpose in life and cares little for anything else. Unfortunately, this unadulterated obsession comes with a steep price tag. Even with the opportunity of a lifetime, an opportunity unlike any in the history of mankind, Ellie will not yield her personal beliefs to appease those in control of her fate. During her interview as a candidate to go into the machine, Palmer brings to light, in a very public display, Ellie’s lack of belief in a Supreme Being. Fully aware that her answer could dictate the outcome of the hearing, Ellie ultimately stands firm in her response that she fails to see the relevance of such inquiries. No doubt this was the only obstacle left in her way, but she simply could not bring herself to lie. And while she may have avoided defeat by staying true to herself in that particular instance, there are many junctures in the film where it seems that pending doom is very close.

This film has a number of apparent defeats that plague our hero, Ellie, all throughout the storyline. The first encounter of apparent defeat is witnessed in the opening scenes of the movie, when a young Ellie is calling names into a radio microphone, and it seems apparent that there is no response on the horizon. Later, as an adult, Ellie is yet again faced with what might be termed defeat when Drumlin shuts down the operation in Mexico. Then four years later in New Mexico, it seems that once again our hero has been defeated when friend and colleague Kent arrives with the awful responsibility of informing Ellie that, once again, the group’s continued operations are being threatened. However, the events in New Mexico turn out to be a rather well-placed red herring to obscure the looming discovery of a radio signal from the sector in space known as Vega.

The infiltration by a radical religious leader into the internals of the machine, followed by the subsequent explosion of the machine, represents one of the final apparent defeats of our hero’s journey. At this juncture, our hero must certainly feel that all is indeed lost. To witness the destruction of what has been the culmination of one’s life work would be a frightening event to behold, there is no doubt. Of course, whatever anguish Ellie feels upon seeing the machine’s obliteration is quickly abolished when Hadden contacts her to inform her that a back-up machine is not only being prepped for launch, but that those in power are requesting that she pilot the mission.

Perhaps the pivotal apparent defeat in this film occurs near the end as Ellie is told that, despite the nature of her recollections, multiple cameras confirm that she ‘in fact’ went nowhere. At this point the audience can guess that some aspect of time and space altered in order that she experience her trip across the cosmos. Nonetheless, being told, yet again, that all her hard work and determination have been for naught likely represents the height of defeat in her life.

Some might assert that there are in fact two final confrontations in “Contact”, one between the hero and the adversary, and another, less clear confrontation that takes place within our hero. Despite the disputes between Ellie and Drumlin, and Palmer, and Kitz, there is an inner battle-taking place over the concept of God in the universe. Considering her adversaries, Drumlin is most certainly the more constant of them all, and debate surrounding whether to send him or Ellie into space represents the culmination of their confrontation. Then, in the final scenes of the movie, a certain realization sets in regarding her notions about God and the universe, and the nature of what is truly real or not. Ellie’s self revelation was a realization that there are some things in the world that can neither be rationalized nor explained, but that are by no means any less real than such things as can be explained thusly.

In the end, the hero of this story learns that while some things can be quantified, others cannot, and that that is alright. In her trip to Vega, or the other side of the galaxy, or wherever she finally ends up, the hero of the story has an opportunity to speak with an alien life form. Although the alien has taken the form of her father to more easily facilitate interaction between the two of them, Ellie is told that it was not them, the aliens, that created the universe. Rather, claims the alien version of her father, it was likely built long, long ago, before their species ever arrived. On her return to Earth, she is harshly criticized for having organized the construction of the most expensive, elaborate piece of machinery ever conceived, and yet possessing no evidence the purported eighteen hour trip across the galaxy. It is quite the humbling moment when, with all those around her questioning her psychological state and accusing her of hallucinations, she is asked by one from the interviewing committee whether she actually expects them to take her word about the events of her trip based solely on faith. As she herself has no doubt posed this question numerous times to more spiritually minded individuals, the audience gets a glimpse of the overwhelming humility of the whole situation. On a similar note, the end of the film finds Palmer also confronting a number of issues that might have historically put him ill at ease. As one who promotes faith, taking Ellie at her word also places some of his own beliefs on the line, namely the existence of his creator. But, understanding that perhaps we all need to expand our horizons if only slightly, we are left with the image of Palmer publicly supporting Ellie and all of her statements in one simple statement: “I believe her”.

Work Cited

Contact. Dir. Robert Zemeckis. Prod. Robert Zemeckis. By James V. Hart and Michael Goldenberg. Perf. Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, and James Woods. Warner Brothers, 1997.