!!Movie Spoliers & Unusual Theory!!

Rating: 7/10 (20 January 2003)

SINCERE APOLOGIES, THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS. Firstly and foremost the hype surrounding Signs did not live up to the reality. I left the cinema with no definitive feeling!. The performances were good, especially the youngsters, and the film itself was intriguing from the point of view that you were waiting for something to happen. But in the end nothing happens and I felt a little let down.
I put myself under the impression that a big crescendo was building and unfortunately, this was a mistake. I did however enjoyed the movie but, only afterward when I believed what the theory was behind the film (maybe). Hence the spoilers as opposed to a review.
Here's the Spoilers!!!! (May I just add, that I do not, under normal circumstances, appreciate spoilers. One of the most wonderful commodities of film is that is can be want you want it to be and therefore I do apologise for providing spoilers, but on this film an exception is made!)
My interpretation of Signs was that I was watching Independence Day from a sideward view! - A story that tells how one small family in a remote part of the US, not to far from a major US city, dealt with an invasion of Aliens!!
Evidence forthwith.
The director, Mr Shyamalan (who without any doubt is a very talented director), has crafted a well constructive thought provoking film that has certainly produced an abundance of healthy discussion.
OK evidence and Spoilers to my theory! (May I just add I am no fan of Independence Day, nor have I seen the film many times, so please feel free to judge the evidence).
* Signs was set over a 3-4 day period in the summer, 45 miles from Philadelphia. - Philadelphia was an initial prime target in ID (short for Independence Day from here on in).
* The first telling evidence was the aerial shot of India. We see multiple areas (major cities) where the UFO's or corn circles are stationed. This interpretation is down to the viewer. - In ID a similar shot was used depicting the aliens above the US.
* Signs makes continued references to the visitors being either hostile or friendly? It's 50/50, black or white...which one are you? - In ID some believe the visitors to be friends some do not.
* I would say that the climax of the movie depicts the Aliens, albeit inconclusively (I Agree), as hostile. - This is fairly clear in ID.
* The (saucer shaped) UFO's start to appear over many cities in the world - and they just seem to hang over them motionlessly for a couple days seemly doing nothing. - This again is clear and very similar to the events in ID.
* A baby monitor is used in Signs as the family discovery of codes being transmitted. - Televisions come to mind for ID.
* In Signs its mentioned that these codes may refer to a possible countdown to an invasion/or other!. - Goldblum discovers this in ID.
* Signs makes reference of the use of hand to hand combat. (Armies) - In ID Will Smith gives us a Birdseye view of them.
* When confined to the Basement: Merrill mentions that the radio transmission states that the Aliens have started to leave and that many people have been killed. - Part of the plot in ID.
* Then for me, the clincher: The TV broadcast at the end (near end anyhow) of the film mentions that the Aliens had been defeated with the help of an old fashion form of communication (Morse code?) that originated out of the Middle East. - The woeful ending we are giving in ID.
What makes me more convinced of this, is why would a talented and intelligent director as M. Night Shyamalan make a film about aliens with so many (arguably) similarities to a recently poor movie about aliens?
There are numerous indiscretions, agreed. Like the water causing damage to the aliens (the Wizard of Oz perhaps!). But I see Signs told from the characters perspective of how they defended there small part of the world in the midst of confusion. Hence the visual differences.
In which case I summarise by saying that I believe the director has had a little fun with this movie and I found it to be more of a comedy then a thriller. This is Independence Day told from an alternative perspective.

For me this makes the film original and I take my hat off to that. But this is far from a great!