A slow pace eventually going ... nowhere

Rating: 5/10 (16 August 2002)

There are many similarities between Shyamalan's movies - slow pace, building tension gradually and a climactic ending. It worked in 'The Sixth Sense' and to a lesser degree in 'Unbreakable.' Unfortunately in 'Signs' we're only left with the slow pace.
Without giving much away (there isn't much to give), most of the movie deals with the issue of unknown aliens. We aren't given many details, but this is used effectively to build suspense for the first half of the movie. Then we're give a few more details that are so absurd as to cause you to suspend belief. Once that happens, the suspense dissipates and all you're left with is a feeling of how much longer you'll have to endure to get to the inevitable twist. When you do get to the end you'll wonder why you waited at all.
If you liked 'The Sixth Sense' and were hoping for something similar, check out 'The Others.'