Frustrating!

Rating: Null/10 (7 October 2002)

For the first time I can remember - a films opening credit sequence made me sit up in my seat, smiling and rubbing my hands with glee! The on-screen text was huge! The music was straight out of a 1980's Spielberg/Horror film... and from there on in -- the movie didn't... well, it didn't improve, nor did it deteriorate. The whole overall product is very classy. Very cool, very confident. It's the product of a film-maker who KNOWS what he's doing and knows how to do it. But at the end of the day (and the film) -- the overall effect, to me... was like eating a delicious port-wine trifle that had grains of sand in it. Tiny elements in the film that could've played well, just didn't roll.
* SPOILERS COMING UP, FOLKS -- SORRY! *
The scene when Morgan realises he can hear "alien transmissions" through the baby speaker. I mean, hey -- I love a good sci-fi flick. I can suspend as much disbelief as you like! But that scene just seemed to be smacked in our faces. And the camera-angle with Morgan holding out above the family on the car-roof; sorry, Mr. Shyamalan - but that was a bit self-conscious. Now, I know I'm starting to sound like a 3rd rate film-arsehole who complains about the "little things". But in the case of SIGNS - it was these little things that ruined the whole thing for me. And sorry folks... but it didn't work in CLOSE ENCOUNTERS and it doesn't work here: actually SHOWING the creature from outer space at the end just made me say - "Nuh, not happ'nin." I was happy with the implication of said species.
But on a more pleasant (and final) note - I have to say my fav'rite scene was when Father Graham tells Merrill the story of how his dying wife spoke of Merrill's baseball game. Saying something like - "swing away"? And he says something to the effect of: You know why she said that? Because a part of her brain was punctured something] and it triggered off an old-memory response. That, to me - was creepy. And that couch-dialogue scene was well done. And it's also fun to see Mr. Shyamalan turn up in his pictures again!
Thanks for your time, folks.