Oh, a film about crop circles. This could be a great film, crop circles, UFO landing sites or signs to the sky?
That has such a good basis for a film. Then why was i so disappointed by this?
Well lets look at the film. Directed by m. night shyamalan, the director of ‘Praying with Anger’, ’Wide Awake’, ‘The Sixth Sense’ and Unbreakable.
Set in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, it’s about Graham Hess, a reverend who lost his faith when his wife was killed in an road accident (flashbacks during the film recreate their last meeting), lives with his two children, Morgan and Bo, and his brother Merrill.
The film opens with the discovery of a crop circle appearing in the field next to their house, which seem to be many miles from anythng else drawing attection that they are alone, after first think it was fake they see that on the television that they are appearing all around the world. So when the invisible spaceships arrive casting lights in the night sky they realise that they are the sign of an invading army. so while they wait for this invasion Morgan, Bo and Merrill sit there with foil hats to stop them reading their minds, Morgan read about it. So apart from a brief home video recording and a hand under that pantry door we see nothing of the aliens till the invasion where they are locked in the basement. A quick scare when the lights go out and another then an hand appears from the coal shoot leading onto a asthma attack from Morgan which Graham try to get under control while cursing god. then as morning appears there is a all clear from that radio, only once they are out of the basement do they realise they still has an unwanted visitor. An indistinct and gangly alien has seized Morgan with its poisoned gas attack at the ready. A flurry of activity that follow caused the alien to use it’s gas and then try to defend itself from the onslaught of a Merrill with a baseball bat and once the aliens intolerance to water was discovered this were quickly ended. Leaving the poor Morgan having been attacked by poisoned gas where Graham is desperate for the asthma attack that had contracted Morgan’s lungs meant that no gas could take affect. So it closed with Graham, no longer faithless as perhaps Morgan survived by more that just good fortune.
Main Cast: Graham Hess - Mel Gibson Merrill Hess - Joaquin Phoenix Morgan Hess - Rory Culkin Bo Hess - Abigail Breslin Colleen Hess - Patrica Kalember Officer Caroline Paski – Cherry Jones
So what didn’t I like: I remember the first comment made to me about this film, ‘there is always a child with asthma’ perhaps a slight over exaggeration but I can’t help but think of Elliot from ET. The children in this seemed to lack any emotion, even once invasion started they still seemed not to be bothered. Slow at points and gives the end a slightly rushed feel. The defeat of the aliens has a distinct ‘War of the Worlds’ feel, a quite clearly advanced race defeated but something simple, in War of the Worlds it was the common cold, here it was water.
I am aware that this is a film about self-discovery and self-realisation, and I have nothing against such films but I feel it could have been done better, otherwise you are restricting your audience.
All in all I was not impressed with this film but that’s just me. I would guess the bast way to really know it to watch it and judge for yourselves.
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
Science Fiction - Director: Hiroyuki Yamaga - Original Language: Japanese - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Ayako Kawasumi, Fujiko Takimoto
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...
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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...
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! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Keeps your attention, genuinely jumpy, strong performances from Gibson and Phoenix Disadvantages: Some flimsiness of plot, kids behind us at the cinema :-), predictable ending
KungFuJoe 13.09.2002 ·
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Review of Signs (DVD)
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)
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Review of Signs (DVD)
![Signs [DTS] [DVD] [2002]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/76771759.jpg "Signs [DTS] [DVD] [2002]")
Oct 1st, 2003
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