Independence Day without explosions

Rating: 5/10 (6 October 2002)

(SPOILERS HERE) I have a mixed up feeling about this film. Sure, the suspense in it builds itself, real slow. Nice. The way it all made me think of an Independence Day without Will Smith and without the air combats could satisfy me only because from the beginning, I was just curious of one thing: what's the catch? What will happen with this one? Certainly no nuclear weapon set off in space!
Well, the ending is dissapointing. Until then, you have seen a few glimps of extra terrestrial creatures, but not much...just enough too be scary. In the end, though (spoiler) you get to see all of it. By then, the alien population left earth (for NO reason) and it's all of a sudden easy for Gibson&Phoenix to beat the last one out there, threatening Gibson's son. This is in daylight, and we get to see the poorly designed alien holding Rory Culkin in his hands. Why do these aliens always have to look the same: green (although this one can change colors, which is nice), barely naked humanlike body and a big, triangled head? It was a major dissapointed towards the end of a movie, where the first question (before starting) remains your only question through out the film: What can possibly be scary about some crop circles in Gibson's field? Well, these 'signs' aren't that important, and apparently, the rules of suspense aren't either to the director, showing us the alien in the (happy) end, it being nothing more than a regular thriller/horror movie with an outstanding cast.
This means: a great movie for the average cinema-visitor, but a little dissapointed concerning the gifted mind of mister Shyamalan. I expected more of him, as I was afraid of. Maybe next time he can direct a Schwarzenegger action flick or a Sally Field drama, or maybe a Jim Carrey comedy, because this genre brings up too much expectations for him to achieve.