Inspired Filmmaking

Rating: 7/10 (4 August 2002)

As with his previous films, The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, Signs is the ultimate one-man show, written, produced and directed by its creator, M. Night Shyamalan. It's a great, creep-fest of a film and easily the best film of 2002 (that I've seen) to date. Shyamalan proves himself again with an incredibly taut script and innovative direction. Focusing on a very small group of people, the family unit, while still retaining some diversity of characters is inspired. The slow and deliberate pacing makes you feel like we're never out of touch with the characters, except for a few minutes here or there, during the few days we spend with them. He allows bits and piece of characterization to reveal themselves as the plot plays out and to relieve the tension, which is ratcheted higher, in this movie, then most thrillers ever dream of reaching, he uses copious amounts of well-timed humor. Probably more than anything I came away from the film thinking how funny it was. I'll also give him extra kudos for having the presence of mind to cast himself as an (ultimately?) unlikeable character in a movie filled with real, likeable and honest people. Choices like that are real gutsy ones and, when you pair them with the zeal that he shows for innovative filmmaking, you can see why his continued success seems boundless. I think it's safe to say that Hollywood needs a few more filmmakers like him.