Not as good as 'Sixth Sense', much better than 'Unbreakable'

Rating: 7/10 (8 February 2004)

SPOILERS The three M. Night Shyamalan films I have seen have relied heavily on the use of prolonged suspense. This tactic may seem to some very slow and boring, and this was certainly the case with 'Unbreakable', one of the worst films I have ever seen. As is often true, the first is the best and 'The Sixth Sense' is by far and a way the superior film of the three. But 'Signs', on first time viewing anyway, is worth the watch.
Shyamalan does manage to create tension here, in parts, but it does veer towards dire 'Unbreakable' territory too. The film's best moments are undoubtably the scenes where the aliens are present BUT off-screen. This leaves room for audience imagination and this is always more nerve-wracking than any visuals on screen. Therefore the most effective scenes are when Gibson is wandering around in the corn at night, with hidden aliens around him, the alien trapped in the pantry scene and the start of the final attack, as the trapped family hear aliens scurrying over their house.
But like so many films down the years, as soon as the supernatural menace is revealed to the audience the tension drops considerably and consequently the film is less interesting. The representation of the aliens is so stereotypical. The thin, green figure that is clearly based on humans. The whole sentimental thing fails to convince too. The 'swing away' finale is cringeing viewing and the recollections of the children's birth could have been much more subtle.
The discussion on the couch that people are separated into two categories, those who believe things are meant to be and those who simply think it's coincidence is valid and reasonable, but not really appropriate in the context of seeing what could be alien spacecrafts on the TV. What has coincidence got to do with anything? It's whether the images are real or not that should be the discussion. It is only in the 'swing away' climax we realise the reason for the inclusion of the coincidence discussion.
However I don't want to rip into this film that much because I did enjoy much of it. And it does have one genuine moment when the audience jump in shock and that is when the dog suddenly barks at the kids when they are playing. Typically the most effective shock does not include the human-like aliens, and that is no coincidence.