Disappointing (Spoiler)

Rating: 3/10 (19 April 2003)

Disappointing. The majority of the film was okay, and the acting was at the high level you'd expect given the cast. But the whole time I'm sitting here thinking "okay, what's going to be the gimmicky ending this time?"... and it was pretty weak. Still, anything with suspense, aliens, and Mel Gibson can't be all bad. "Signs" is a good movie. But given Night's track record and style, what you expect him to deliver simply falls short this time.
The aliens were an interesting story to work with... crop circles and all... and their part of the story was quite entertaining. The news "footage" of the alien at the children's party was very eerie, and the scenes in the cornfields were quite tense. But the underlying Mel Gibson personal struggle story line was pretty weak... a disillusioned priest who in the end returns to God because of the alien incursion. Right. Nevermind that an actual alien incursion would turn the bible on its ear and toss most of it out of the window.
And the "zinger" at the end was laughably weak... junior is saved from the alien poison gas because he has had an asthma attack that left his throat closed and kept the poison out. Yeah, right. I have asthma. If you have an asthma attack that closes your breathing off, you can kiss your sweet patootie goodbye... you aren't surviving. But I hear you saying "it was a miracle, that's the point". No, the only miracle would be if anyone thought this was a clever ending. Night's gimmicky endings are seeming pretty strained these days, having gone from excellent in "Sixth Sense" to pretty unbelievable but still chilling in "Unbreakable" to downright silly in "Signs".
I'd still recommend this film, but if you're looking for the great, insightful, mind-blowing ending you got in "Sixth Sense", you'll be disappointed. The gimmick is starting to get old.