"Signs" Movie Review

Rating: 9/10 (5 August 2014)

"Signs" is a 2002 American science fiction thriller film written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The story focuses on a former Episcopal priest named Graham Hess who discovers a series of crop circles in his cornfield. Hess slowly becomes convinced that the phenomena are a result of extraterrestrial life. It stars Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin.
I was eager to return to "Signs" after seeing the film a good number of years back. One, because I remember liking the film for being a well made thriller with a great sense of dread. And two, because of how the film has divided people in recent years, mostly due to the film's logic at the ending. Form where I stand, "Signs" is a masterfully told thriller, that contain real human emotions that makes the film both terrifying, and heartfelt.
First off, I love how the story is told from this family point of view. It makes "Signs" feel realistic, and let us see the events taking place as they are seeing it. Also making the film seem real is the buildup. Instead on using it big guns at the beginning and ruin the suspense, it shows us information slowly, and grows the sense of dread in a chilling manner. The film lack of CGI unless needed is highly appreciated. Shyamalan's direction makes the story feel small scale, which works with the events that takes place, and wonderfully maximizes the tension throughout the film. To avoid repetition in my points, "Signs" less is more approach makes the film feel fresh, and not overly relied on cheap scares. Instead, the film builds it scares through the details given, and greatly done buildup. Simply put, I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight, and I have to applaud the movie for being to able to do that.
The family themselves I found very engaging. They are going through a major conflict that is easy to relate to, and care for. I was interested to see how bad things would go for them in this rather chaotic situation. Plus they seem like real people, as while for most of the film they are completely terrified, they add a few funny lines to lighten the situation. "Signs" is not a comedy, but a nice dose of humor gives the film levity to make it feel more human. The performances are great, with Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix especially giving subtle, but emotionally powerful performances, that again, make the characters feel human.
And that word is likely, among with the scares, is what I think is the best part of "Signs", form the storytelling, to the characters, and from how the film is told from a visual point of view, it all feels human, and heartfelt. It a story about faith, losing it, and regaining it. Truth to be told, I had tears. Not man-tears, just tears of joy and happiness. For a director that has not been on the top of his game of as of late, M. Night Shyamalan had a great love, and even still, for the work he does. Even with his recent films, I feel that at the very least, that he is still trying. In my opinion, I feel he should stick to making films that are on a smaller scale, as he seems more comfortable working with films that are on a small budget. If I have any complain about "Signs", it's that even though the films' themes of coincidence and faith are effectively handled overall, I felt at a few points that seem to go a little bit too beyond than where they should have stay.
As for the lack of logic with the ending, I have to say that this is a story told from one's family perspective. and "Signs" is going for a less is more approach. It not aliens going to Earth, but how one family handles that aliens arriving to Earth. If you want a more in depth look at "Signs", watch YouTube movie reviewer, Chris Stuckmann fantastic analysis on the film. What I would have say, he says that in a much more detailed and organized fashion better than what I could hope to do.
Link to Chris Stuckmann video on "Signs" www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3Ju05PuiyQ