I don't understand...

Rating: 10/10 (4 September 2011)

...why this film got so many bad reviews. I'm not a fan of aliens or horror films so perhaps these people are judging it by those standards. Maybe they came in expecting "Alien" or "Nightmare on Elem Street", so if that's what you're into you definitely skip this film. But if you're looking for a soulful, delicate and powerful film that makes you think about the bigger questions (God, coincidences, faith and hope) and offers some actual ANSWERS (something films have little of these days) you'll enjoy this film even if you aren't into aliens or horror.
Basically, it's about Graham Hess (Mel Gibson), an Episcopalian priest who has just suffered a horrible tragedy that has made him lose his faith in God. He lives on a little farm with his two children Morgan (Rory Culkin) and Bo (Abigail Breslin)and his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix).
One morning he wakes up and discovers crop signs in his corn field. He at first thinks its just some neighborhood boys horsing around but soon it is discovered that there is a full-scale alien invasion underway all over the world.
The best thing about this film is how realistically the character's respond to this emergency. I think if anything this insane were to actually happen people would at first be wholly unbelieving, then skeptical, slightly anxious and then full-blown terrified. They would sit and watch the news all day, holding their loved ones close, board up their homes and hide in the cellars or pack up the car and drive as far away from the trouble as they could go.
Most alien films move right to the aliens wreaking carnage after the first ten minutes and therefore they lose something, they become a simple fight/flight ride that we never really required to think about. This film for the most part never showing the aliens, only in glimpses, and therefore our imaginations are allowed to enhance the fear and tension. This makes it a slow-moving film, but it never loses that sense of anxiety, the feeling that somewhere out-there, something is watching you and waiting to pounce...
The message of the film is a universal one: at one point Graham asks his brother what kind of person is he, one who believes in blind luck and happy chance, that you are all alone in this world, or are you a person who believes that there are no coincidences and that there is Someone up there, watching and taking care of things? I myself am a Christian, but I think no matter what your religion, you will be able to take something comforting away from this film. I have seen many Christian films that do not give such a powerful display of faith as this one and I respect Shyamalan for being able to pull this off without it once seeming cheesy.
The acting in this film is wonderful; the performances or subtle and quiet, these are everyday people still fragile after a tragedy, yet powerful and genuine. I know Gibson has been criticized and judged these past years, but he is without a doubt one of the best actors out there and his performance is the linchpin of this film, he character is so obviously damaged and insecure, yet when called upon he gives such strength and power. Phoenix is a great supporting role, he is quirky and rather simple, but no less strong or deep than his brother. The children are great, Culkin and Breslin work to together seamlessly and exude genuine love and tenderness for one another. Cherry Jones has a small part in this film but she is excellent in her scenes and even Shyamalan himself has a small scene, a very emotional one and he is actually very good.
When I first saw this film I was unsure if I would enjoy it, the slow pace and the subtly of the performances, but by the end all this payed off: I knew each character deeply and I was invested in their story, and the ending was one of the most moving experiences I have ever seen in film. Go see this film, you will not be disappointed.