When Captain Mills (Adam Driver) discovers that Koa (Ariana Greenblatt) is the only other survivor after their ship crash lands on a remote planet, they have a communication barrier because of the language Koa speaks in 65's dinosaurs and prehistoric animals, and parasites hunt them.
Not being able to understand one another makes things even more complicated, and to make matters worse, a giant asteroid is also hurtling toward the planet. If they can reach where the other half of the ship fell with the only functional escape pod, they might be able to escape off-world before it impacts. They will have to rely on each other despite the language problems if they want to stay alive long enough to get to the ship and prevent themselves from going extinct.
Koa Speaks A Fictional Alien Language In 65
As it turns out, Koa speaks a fictional alien language in 65 that was invented just for the movie according to crew who spoke with Slash Film. Though Koa and Mills might appear human, they're actually aliens from an advanced civilization that lived at the same time Earth was inhabited by dinosaurs. Even within their own society, they have a wide variety of languages on their home planet just like modern Earth, so it makes sense that Mills would need a functioning translator to understand Koa.
Learning to work together toward a common goal helps to mitigate the language issues, while also distilling 65 to a few core themes. In such a hostile situation, everyone becomes equal in the pursuit of survival, and what's most important can be articulated in a way that makes the most impact, such as through hand gesticulations. Having a language barrier also heightens the excitement as well as the suspense in every scene.
65's Language Differences Continues The Directors' Horror Communication Themes
By implementing a language barrier, 65 continues the directors' theme of communication in the horror genre. Scott Beck & Bryan Woods wrote A Quiet Place, which is notable for communication gaps playing a huge role in the film's plot about aliens who react and hunt by hearing sound from their victims. The only way a family can stay alive throughout A Quiet Place's timeline is to tread silently through their home and surrounding countryside, which is similar to the problems faced by Mills and Koa when they have to implement other ways to communicate without using words.
By removing the ability to understand one another using the same words, Mills and Koa are forced to be innovative and resourceful. Beck and Woods increased the tension and the sense of danger inherent to the film by taking away the convenience of being easily understood, which makes the horror aspects of 65 more apparent. It also emphasizes what struggles are universal, and speaks to the fact that staying alive and trying to be reunited with loved ones is a primordial drive felt by all people regardless of where they come from.
Source: Slash Film
