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Neil deGrasse Tyson gets schooled after trying to point out 'error' in sci-fi 'Arrival'

Arrival (Credit: Paramount)
Arrival (Credit: Paramount)

US astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson loves trying to pick holes in sci-fi movie plots. Loves it.

But he bungled one plot point this week, regarding Denis Villenueve's critically-acclaimed Arrival.

Read more: Villeneuve wants to do Blade Runner spin-off

In it, Amy Adams plays a linguist who is recruited to decipher messages appearing from an extra-terrestrial intelligence which arrives on Earth.

WESTWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 26: Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson arrives at National Geographic's "Cosmos: Possible Worlds" Los Angeles Premiere at Royce Hall, UCLA on February 26, 2020 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)
Neil deGrasse Tyson (Credit: Amanda Edwards/Getty Images)

These come in the form of symbols - circular patterns - which appear to be drawn by the aliens.

So in weighed the star-gazing clever clogs.

However, what deGrasse Tyson hadn't counted on was the collective knowledge of movie twitter, and soon enough, he was hauled up over not paying attention.

In the movie, it's expressly discussed that the language being used by the alien intelligence has 'no forward or backward direction', by Jeremy Renner's character Ian Donnelly.

It was pointed out, and rather pointedly too.

Mind you, this hasn't deterred him. Since then, he's taken a pop at Brad Pitt's Ad Astra, notably the realism of the not-vastly-realistic chase scene with the moon pirates, and the shadows cast on the moon.

It all comes after he horrified Disney fans this week with his 'horse eyeballs' comment about Elsa from Frozen.

He must be a joy to go to the pictures with.