A well-made thriller with heart.

Rating: Null/10 (13 December 2002)

7 out of 10
M. Night Shyamalan's success streak continues with Signs, a horror-oriented thriller about an ex-priest (Mel Gibson) who discovers something odd happening in his cornfields at night. As far as plot goes, that's enough of a decent set-up for Shyamalan to work his magic. Signs is not a story-driven excursion, as the previews may lead you to believe (it does NOT give clear-cut answers to the existence "crop circles" and such) but an exercise in sharp filmmaking and acting. For the film to work, both must be top-notch. Thankfully, we're not let down.
The film delivers its share of suspenseful situations, much of it highlighted by brief glimpses of creepy images and exposure to fear of the unknown (the pantry scene is classic). Most of it works, and because of the stellar performances (there's not a weak performance among the cast), we genuinely care about the film's resolution. The movie's ongoing theme, that of a man regaining his spirituality, is thoroughly unimaginative, but Gibson's sincere performance makes it work well enough to distance itself from the routine horror/thriller. Unfortunately, the climax is a disappointment, concluding with a ludicrous plot development that needlessly cranks the silliness up a couple of notches. It is a major dent to an otherwise solid thriller.