FANTASTIC TWIST!

Rating: 10/10 (17 January 2003)

This is a fantastic film that gets better the more times you watch it. There are some major misnomers that this movie is about Christianity or Christian faith. This is quite wrong.
***WARNING SPOILERS AHEAD***
This movie is about one mans philosophy on life and how seemingly unconnected events can influence a persons perspective. Either you believe events are unconnected and don't see the "signs" or you believe there is a reason for everything. Making this connection (and choice) is what the movie is all about. Too many people mistake this film for Religious "propaganda" or are expecting too much about alien invasion. The aliens are the threat (not the story) that makes one man rethink his philosophy on life. In essence, he turns from "the glass is half empty" to "the glass is half full" by realizing the events in his life may have a greater purpose than what they appear on the surface. It has nothing to do with Religious propaganda. The fact that Mel Gibson's character was a priest that lost his faith was only a convenient way to package the idea. It made the "signs" more significant and subsequently had a greater impact on the audience. The guy could have simply been a farmer, janitor, or bus boy, but adding that extra dimension of being a priest to his character made the realization of his philosophy more dramatic upon the films close.
This is a fantastic film that has been subject to some rather harsh criticism by those who see it in more shallow terms. It is not a movie about aliens. It is not a movie about religion. It is not a movie about faith. It is a movie about a man who begins to see the positive side to all the negative aspects in his life. This realization helps him triumph and overcome his fears. I would highly recommend this movie for those who enjoy depth of character and story. It is not intended to be "difficult" to figure out. It is only intended to make you think. I give it an 8 1/2 out of 10 stars.