Shyamalan Scores Again

Rating: 8/10 (8 February 2003)

M. Night Shyamalan takes on alien invasion in "Signs". But Night's approach takes a very different tack than most invasion flicks such as "Independence Day" by telling his story from the perspective of a rural American family who has somehow has found themselves in the middle of the alien's planning process. You've got to suspend disbelief and not be too analytical about the plot, since an apparent key to the alien's invasion scheme is crop circles. And that is what Graham Hess (Gibson) finds in his backyard cornfield one day. He shares his farmhouse with his son (R. Culkin) and his younger brother (Phoenix). Recently widowed through an auto accident, Graham, previously the town's pastor is now a bitter disbeliever. That is until the aliens show up in the neighborhood.
I saw "Signs" at the tail end of its theatrical release and so had read reviews about how the invasion story was not the central theme. Many reviewers posited that the primary story dealt with miracles, coincidence, and the existence of God. That's too deep for me. I found "Signs" a very unique approach to the alien invasion story and was surprised at how creepy the movie actually is. The acting and directing are very good (we expect nothing less from a Shyamalan), the plot, although implausible, carries the viewer through the sometimes terrifying ordeal of a family on the periphery of the biggest event in the history of mankind. Highly recommended.