WARNING: This review contains
some spoilers.
Signs is a horrifying first rate thriller which
intelligently brings logic to the world of extraterrestrials. Writer,
director, producer, and actor M. Night Shyamalan put this together
outstandingly; it is a worthy follow-up to the excellent films
The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. This type
of thriller is creepy and terrifying; I jumped out of my seat at least
a dozen times. This is undeniably one of the best movies of the year,
if not the absolute number one; Signs is made scary by
its visions alone, its one film you don’t want to miss.
The thing that I enjoyed the most about Signs was
its realistic approach to aliens and their ways. In this movie the
extraterrestrials had their formalities, but they weren’t totally
inhuman. They were defeatable, and that’s what made them good. All
forces can be defeated; everyone has their weaknesses. This is what
Shyalaman went for, and achieved; his direction, production, and
screenplay were superior to anything else he has ever accomplished.
Signs opens as Mel Gibson is awoken by the sound
of his children screaming in the backyard, a crop field. He quickly
runs out with their uncle, Joaquin Phoenix, to see what’s wrong. He
finds that have not been physically harmed, rather mentally
traumatized. They point out to him that their have been patterns cut
into the crop field. When a police woman comes out to investigate, he
finds out that other strange things had been happening in the
neighborhood. This is only the start of a chain strange events in
Bucks County,
Pennsylvania; the Signs
had begun.
Shyalaman is very consistent with the children he chooses to
star in his movies. Similar to Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth
Sense, the two kids featured in this movie had what it takes. I
look forward to see if they turn out to be one-hit-wonders, or like
Osment, have fabulous success in the future.
I loved the way everything was shot in this film. The camera
work was perfectly executed, bringing superb and awe inspiring
cinematography. The visions here are much those of E.T. When the
dialogue in the script was emotionally expressed with tension, the
camera was still and far away from the actors. Yet when the
conversation was serene and mature, the camera was very close, and
used smooth motion and transitions. The cinematography was right on,
there’s nothing much more to it.
In conclusion, Signs is a perfect summer movie
with a spooky edge. I thought it was cool that I was able to see it in
digital, also. M. Night Shyalaman proved that his third one-man-band
movie has what it takes, as Signs passes by me with
flying colors. Go see this movie today, their waiting for you…its
happening.
NOTE: I saw the number "77" glowing
inside of one of the aerial shots of the crop circle. If you have any
idea of what this signifies please inform me by e-mail at
webmaster@bucketreviews.com.
-Danny, Bucket Reviews