Terrific Entertainment

Rating: 9/10 (10 August 2002)

(Some spoilers) Signs is one of the first movies in a long time where I glanced at my watch not to calculate when the mess might end; instead it was to rue my fascination's end approaching all too quickly. I was listening like the husband nudged by groggy wife with "did you hear that noise"-- the entire movie. I felt Shyamalan's grip as an artist- not deigning-down to me with the avant-garde but using commonplace sensations like fleeting visions and noises half-heard. I'm sure this engrosses an audience of sentients more than explosions and special-effects. All that and surprisingly generous dollops of laugh out loud funny dialogue make this a must-see event. Topped off by an audience-rousing splat of slugging brother's bat to alien's head, I wouldn't have changed one thing. Those who complain about the pacing can re-watch Fast and Furious for the 37th time but for me this was edge of my seat thrilling entertainment. It delivered that ephemeral magic most movies can't muster. Don't ever stop making movies M Night.