The Sign of a great movie.

Rating: 8/10 (5 August 2002)

I went to see Signs opening day and have to say it exceeded my expectations. Mel Gibson, who at no point plays a leader of an oppressed group, plays the role of a former Reverend who has left the church after his wife dies in a car accident. Joaquin Phoenix does a phenomenal job playing Gibson's brother and has a great comic timing and delivery. The children actors were great and the little girl will make you sigh and laugh at her innocence.
This movie differs from M. Night's previous two movies in that there is much more comedic dialogue. It felt at some point that M. Night had watched a lot of Aaron Sorkin's West Wing because of some of the back and forth interaction between Gibson and Phoenix.
However, FOR ALL THOSE LOOKING FOR A SCI-FI THILLER... THIS IS NOT ONE!!!!! It is full of suspense and has many tense moments but like all of M. Night's movies, the main story is not the actual events happening (crop circles, aliens, etc.). It is the character development as he/she is affected and reacts to the events in the story.
I cannot for the life of me, understand why those who have seen M. Night's movies before expected Signs to be a sci-fi thriller and be disappointed when it MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better than a mindless sci-fi movie about alien invasion (though, they can be fun as well). With this movie M. Night has solidified the fact that he is one of the only director's of our time that understands that great characters make a great movie. Not special effects!