Mel Gibson Shines in Signs

Rating: Null/10 (12 August 2002)

The film of course is excellent as a fusion of different elements and influences, primarily Val Lewton's concept of build up the fear but minimize the monster, and truly unique in that it's not a typical sci-fi zap-em-up or blood feast. How refreshing not to see the cliched military perspective but emphasize the protagonist's psyche. There are some silly holes in the plot -- if I was within ten feet of a trapped alien I wouldn't stick around, would you? -- but overall it works, and for one reason: Mel Gibson. This was, in my opinion, his best performance ever. I rate them thus, in descending order: Signs, Mad Max, Hamlet, then Braveheart. He is, like Connery, a movie star in the golden era sense of the word who only gets better with each new wrinkle. The deep empathy and chemistry he has on screen with children(begun in Man Without a Face, developed in Patriot, and reaching its apex here), no doubt has its origins in his own large family, but it carries over from real life magnificently onto film. May the Big Australian Three -- Gibson, Judy Davis and Geoffrey Rush, keep astounding us!