An Outstanding and Thoughtful Thriller

Rating: 10/10 (5 January 2003)

"Signs" is in my opinion the best film of 2002 and should be strongly considered as Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards. M. Night Shyamalan has provided us with one of the scariest thrillers to come out of Hollywood in a very long time. There is an incredible amount of tension that is built up throughout the movie as well as an interesting subplot that becomes beautifully integrated with the main storyline. What really caught my attention and my admiration about this film is the fact that the story is really about a family. The unusual formations that are found in the family's corn field and the sightings of unexplained phenomenon that follow are all taken more or less from the perspective of Mel Gibson's character, his brother, and his children. Unlike a similar scenario that we see in 1996's Independence Day, Gibson and his family are not out to save the world. As matter of fact, there isn't much they can do about what is happening around them. Shyamalan wisely chooses to keep the setting in a small, farm town community and aside from what the family members view on television, the audience is forced to share in the same unsettling feeling of intense isolation that the characters are faced with.
Obviously Shyamalan has studied Mr. Hitchcock very extensively (in particular 1963's The Birds) which is of a great advantage to him. It isn't often that I become truly scared at a movie, but this one tapped into an old formula that will never grow old and should be viewed as a true classic in the years ahead. It's a fantastic movie experience that blends drama with the backdrop a sci/fi horror story. Even the film's message, which becomes very clear at the conclusion, makes perfect sense and is wonderfully optimistic. Emphasizing the importance of this family's faith and love over all else. This is a good one and you owe to yourself to make sure that you see it.