One Big ?

Rating: Null/10 (8 August 2002)

This is one of those movies that's like a life-size birthday cake and you know a beautiful woman is going to pop out, but low and behold, some aged-withered, sagging breasted granny pops out instead. I saw this movie last night and I spent the majority of my time jumping out of my seat. Signs sets you up in such a way that you just know that there is going to be an awesome climax and all loose ends will be tied up.
GUESS AGAIN!
The ending was one of the most major disappointments of my entire movie-watching career. Even more worse than Unbreakable and you know that sucked.
M. Night Shyamalan (hope I spelled his name right) took a great idea and fumbled it on the forty yard line. He took a plot and wrapped it around a totally different plot. He started out with aliens and then ended up with self-rediscovery. Two of the most unlike themes ever.
The problem with Signs was that the premise is totally misleading. From aliens and crop circles to finding one's faith again?
*********SPOILERS**********
Too much set up and not enough clarity.
How did the aliens form the crop circles? Where did they come from? What was their intent? How did the reverend's son become so insightful as to what was happening? What did the aliens do to the water? How and why was it harmful to them? Why were the spaceships only visible at night (and only as spots of light), but invisible during the day?
The buildup of suspense is intense (sometimes frustratingly unnecessary) for instance, when the aliens finally show up at the house and family locks itself in the cellar. The fear and terror of the aliens is expressed through loud, thud-sounding pounds on the door. The son, who has asthma has an attack (they would leave his medicine upstairs) while they wait out the night as the aliens try to get in. And while all this is going on, you never see not one alien. What kind of $#!t is that! Obviously a plot device to move things along quickly to the disappointing climax.
Finally...the so called climax!
You finally see the alien (the same one who the good reverend maimed while it was trapped in the pantry in the house of the man who killed the good reverend's wife...it was an accident).
A rush job at best. No tidying up of loose ends...and there are quite a few.
Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, and Abigail Breslin give great performances. Too bad they weren't enough to overshadow such a dull movie.