Despite the backlash, M Night Shyamalan's last good film still holds up

Rating: 7/10 (13 December 2014)

Before the days of a 19th century village doing their best Kristen Stewart impersonations, bizarre self indulgent bedtime stories, Mark Wahlberg talking to plants, air karate and planet nepotism, Shyamalan made 3 strong genre efforts which took genres (Ghost story, superhero, alien invasion) known for thrills and turned them into quieter, deft character pieces. It's the same with Signs. This is the last time he made a good film, although it's not as good as Unbreakable or The Sixth Sense. Signs has received some backlash following its release, but it's a flawed yet interesting work overall. It's an alien invasion seen through the eyes of a family who lives on a farm, and there are various Religious themes as well which make the story deeper than it would otherwise have been. Shyamalan's script has its ups and downs. There are some silly and awkward lines which provoke face palms while other parts of the script are more interesting. The performances are mostly OK, and Mel Gibson just about pulls it off.
The film is less credible since it has a plot hole big enough to fly a UFO through: Why do aliens who are susceptible to water come to a planet where two thirds of it are lethal to them? This certainly lets the film down combined with the uneven script and lack of action, which can feel slightly disappointing. Shyamalan pretty much ditches a finale and the thrilling moments and small scale. This is a good thing overall, but a little more of a climax wouldn't have hurt. However, the Religious elements will divide people but for me they added unforeseen emotion to the storyline, and the film oozes suspense in every frame. With astonishing visuals and cinematography, the film certainly looks great and even if the suspense doesn't amount to all that much, the way it is maintained throughout the film is pretty extraordinary. It doesn't have the best storyline ever, but it's a memorable alien invasion flick a definitely worth a look. Any alien attack film which is brave enough to avoid a massive shoot out space battle deserves credit.
7/10