'Signs' is the latest film from director M. Night Shayamalan of 'Sixth Sense' and 'Unbreakable' fame. I must say that I thought 'Sixth Sense' was excellent but was a bit unsure about 'Unbreakable'. In my opinion 'Signs' shows Shayamalan definitely has talent but just cannot repeat the 'Sixth Sense' success.
Signs centres around widowed ex-reverend Graham Hess (Mel Gibson - yes honest!) and his children Morgan (Rory Culkin - brother of the home alone horror) and Bo (introducing Abigail Beslin). Hess's brother Merrill (Jaoquin Phoenix - brother of River) also lives with him, having moved in after the death of Graham's wife.
The film open's with Graham and Merrill being awoken by his two dogs barking. He looks in on his children to find they are not there and finds them outside in his field staring at a crop circle. Graham has no idea what it is and believes it is all down to hoaxers.
As the film unfolds, spooky things start to happen, as you might expect. Noises are heard on the roof and through a baby monitor. Also the family see on TV that these crops circles
are appearing in large numbers all over the world. However, Graham is still sceptical and explains it away to his children as the work of 'nerds with no girlfiends'.
We also learn that Morgan suffers from asthma and Bo has a serious problem finishing her glasses of water. These two facts and several others being obviously placed early on so that they can be all pulled together at the end of the film.
As time goes by the TV reports make it clear that an alien invasion of the Earth is underway and eventually the TV stops broadcasting altogether.
What is very good about this film is the way it deals with the idea of an alien invasion just from the point of view of one single family with no reference to anybody else in the world other than what they see on TV. The building tension as it becomes clearer to the family that they are in deep trouble is excellent.
The sub plot (or perhaps main plot depending upon how you look at it) concerns Graham's loss of faith as a result of his wifes death. The horrific nature of her death unfolds in a series of flashbacks. Graham has abandoned God because of his loss and therefore is unable to rely on what he always had for strength in the face of this huge threat to his family's safety. I found this aspect of the film a satisfying exploration of personal loss and faith (until the end).
Shayalaman (who appears himself in a cameo role) demonstrates great skill at directing a suspenseful thriller. The tension builds through the film without the need for anything other than noises and shadows. There is some very clever filming, for example in the scene in the dark basement where the viewer can only see what is happening from the point of view of torches dropped during the struggle. There are other lingering shots where you expect something to happen and it does not. Fine Hitchcock style stuff.
The acting is also pretty good. Gibson is good, though I doubt if he was the best choice for this particular part. Phoenix is very good as the ex baseball playing brother who looks up to Gibson. Culkin is surprisingly good given his older siblings vomit inducing performances. And young Beslin definitely shows promise. The relationships and emotions between the family members are well portrayed.
Where this film falls down totally is as a sci-fi film. OK, you could take the approach that the alien invasion is not the important bit and the subtext of faith, concidence, fate and family in a suspense thriller setting is the main thing. However, if this is the case then why bother with the aliens at all? You do need some serious external threat but this aspect could have been done so much better.
The whole alien idea is spectacularly badly done. These highly technologically advanced beings can be locked in a pantry cupboard, held at bay with bits of wood and defeated with a baseball bat. They go around naked even though they have a lot to fear from the Earth's atmosphere (as becomes ridiculously clear at then end). There is little explanation of why they are here other than a vague reference to 'harvesting' humans. Any they go away all too easily after an aborted invasion. Perhaps I missed something and it really is all meant to be a hoax and the aliens are just the nerds with no girlfiriends in rubber suits (they certainly looked like they were).
There is also an appallingly contrived ending which I will not describe here as some other reviewers beleive it ties everything togther - but I am afraid it just seemed very silly to me.
As a suspense thriller this film did well and if I could ignore the aliens I would have enjoyed it thoroughly. However, you can't ignore them nor the daft ending both of which ruined it for me.
This said I would still recommend seeing it for the suspense, the acting and the occasional great directing.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Science Fiction - Director: Hiroyuki Yamaga - Original Language: Japanese - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Ayako Kawasumi, Fujiko Takimoto
Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
Director-writer M Night Shyamalan brings his distinctive, oblique approach to aliens ... more
inSignsafter tackling ghosts (The Sixth Sense) and superheroes (Unbreakable). With Mel Gibson replacing Bruce Willis as the traditional Shyamalan hero--a family man tr...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Director-writer M Night Shyamalan brings his distinctive, oblique approach to aliens ... more
inSignsafter tackling ghosts (The Sixth Sense) and superheroes (Unbreakable). With Mel Gibson replacing Bruce Willis as the traditional Shyamalan hero--a family man tr...
Postage & Packaging: free Super Saver Delivery Availability: Usually dispatched within 7 to 13 days...
From M. Night Shyamalan, the writer/director of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, comes the ... more
story of the Hess family in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who wake up one morning to find a 500-foot crop circle in their backyard. Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) and hi...
From M. Night Shyamalan the gifted writer/director of The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable ... more
comes the story of the Hess family in Bucks County Pennsylvania who wake up one morning to find a 500 foot crop circle in their backyard. Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) a...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Makes you think...and keep on thinking for ages afterwards, it has Mr Gibson in it, superb directing Disadvantages: A bit scary to be rated 12 - and all that thinking made my brain hurt
Collingwood21 12.10.2002 (12.10.2002)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Signs (DVD)
![Signs [DTS] [DVD] [2002]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/76771759.jpg "Signs [DTS] [DVD] [2002]")
Feb 11th, 2003
very helpful by (100%):
