Signs ain't just another sci-fi movie

Rating: 8/10 (22 March 2008)

I just watched signs on DVD, and found the movie to be highly enjoyable. I loved Shyamalan's cinematography style which certainly pays homage to the great Hitchcock. Shyamalan's ability to stir up emotions from so little on screen is incredible taking you form laugh out loud comedic moments to edge of your seat fear. This is the sort of movie I'd watch when I want something different from the standard Hollywood fare of big budget CG and over the top acting.
Before I watched this movie I already knew about the aliens weakness against water and I do admit it does make you scratch your head as to how silly it is in the overall plot, but you would have to be foolish to give this movie a bad review just on that alone.
I read some of the negative reviews on this site and all I can see is how they have only treated this movie like just another Sci-fi movie and that is a huge mistake.
When reviewers evaluate a movie according to sci-fi and particularly the classic alien invasion plot, They immediately conjure up movies like War of the Worlds, Independence day etc. Movies whose plot can be summed up in a single sentence "advanced alien race arrives in space ships and plan an invasion of earth". That is the first mistake, thinking that that is why the aliens have come to earth. The true intension of the aliens isn't made very clear in the entire movie. Who they are? , Where they come from? , The reason they have come to earth. We get snippets and assumptions a few abductions, but that's it. The only thing even remotely indicates that this is an invasion is the number of space ships hovering in the sky, and this is when "in the box thinking" occurs, they drag up the 'Invasion' plot as a critical template. Lets look at a few criticisms and some alternate explanations.
1) (The biggest complaint) Aliens come to invade a planet mostly made up of water and harvest humans who are made up of up to 70% or more which is harmful to them.
Again the intension of invasion is not made clear, and just because they are hovering over earth doesn't mean they are planning to invade. Lets look at simple logic and psychology, The aliens are in full view hovering over the earth sending down small groups, to what seems to be primarily observation and capture of specimens. If we take the comparison of a man and a fire ant hill, The man believing he is more intelligent and superior to the ants has little fear of them so casually observes them and perhaps kills and takes a few for closer study. The 'Water' argument relies on the assumption that this is an invasion, alternatively perhaps they are just passing through, logging life around the galaxy or are were forced to come to earth looking to restock resources. At the end the aliens seem to have disappeared after reports of people attacking them which goes against the hostile takeover theory. There are many things that harm us which in the realm of science fiction can just be an everyday substance to other alien species i.e. the acid blood of the creature in Alien, So who is to say that logic can't be turned on its head to make up all sorts of crazy theories, the aliens might be mostly made up of gas, or potassium.
2)The aliens were advanced enough to travel in space ships, but too stupid to get through a pantry door.
Now this makes assumptions on the aliens' (The ones walking around) intelligence and that they are the same aliens who built the ships in the first place. Who is to say that these aliens aren't a less intelligent species used by a more superior alien race to do the dangerous work. Humans have used animal species to do all kinds of work through out history, in many cases training them to perform simple tasks such as sending messages, fetching items and more. Also What about the societal structure is it like ours or is it akin to a hive with drones, soldiers, A queen or more, a drone only has enough to get the job done and is only intelligent enough to carry out a few actions. Point is placed in a situation outside of its intellect it wouldn't know how to react. Hence the pantry situation even though it escapes eventually.
3)Level of technical sophistication = Level of preparation.
So the aliens did or didn't take into account that water a substance most deadly to them is everywhere on earth, or that their communication can be picked by a simple baby monitor despite their ships not showing up on radar of the most advanced military on earth. What if those two aspects are just coincidence. In war of the worlds the aliens were advanced enough to wipe out all human life on earth but died because of common germs humans had grown resistant to. Just because they are advanced doesn't mean they have taken every bit of human technology or situation into account. So little information has been given about the aliens we can't begin to make assumptions of how they function.
------------------------------------------------------------------ I'll say again you shouldn't write this movie off because it doesn't meet your expectations. Instead watch it with fresh eyes and an open mind, that's what's so great about Shyamalan's movies, they delve into the unexpected and at times are powerful yet subtle. If anything watch the movie for the directing style alone witness the superb example in quality over quantity in cinematic direction.