Quite possibly M. Night Shyamalan's finest work to date

Rating: Null/10 (8 October 2002)

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs
From the off-point,it's astounding to note that,yes,this is a new film directed by hot-property Shyamalan that doesn't headbill Bruce Willis as the main star.Instead,we've got Mel Gibson.So,a change of leading man and a change of film for this particular actor.And he's fine in a type of role you wouldn't usually expect him to do.But Gibson's not the only commendable thing about Signs.Following on from a catchy opening credits sequence,the story which precedes it is deeply intriguing and full of jolty surprises and eye-catching special effects.Joaquin Phoenix is good in it too as the normality-driven younger brother of Gibson,desperate to do anything to restore order to the paranoia stricken family,already struggling to come to terms with a soul-destroying tragedy.If there's one fault,it's probably the ending,which does come off as a little silly and far-fetched,even for this type of film.But generally speaking,Signs is top-notch entertainment,and certainly a strong contender for Shyamalan's finest work.****