It's strange; the story's different, but it feels the same as "6th Sense / Unbreakable"

Rating: 3/10 (15 November 2002)

Be aware. This summary will outline plots from other films by director M Night Shyamalan.

I was one of the myriad of movie fans who were intrigued with M Night Shyamalan's "The Sixth Sense" (Hollywood Pictures, 1999) and figured that the movie's success was well deserved and was in line to buy the DVD when it debuted.
Then came "Unbreakable" (Touchstone Pictures, 2000). I never saw the film in theatres because I got the gist from the promotional onslaught before the movie opened. To my surprise, the movie featured a story that was oddly similar to "Sixth Sense." There's a character who has a unique special ability and learns to develop and use the gift to help others. I rented the movie and was thoroughly disappointed at the blatant re-packaging that Shyamalan had pulled off; convincing his new fans to spend more money to watch basically the same movie-and lead actor-again.
And now there's "Signs." I was again overwhelmed by the media blitz that Touchstone launched many weeks before this film opened. I saw enough in the trailers to get the point of the film. And it again was very similar to the other super-paranormal films Shyamalan's has made. Crop circles begin appearing, and people have to figure out why it's happening. I watched the airline version a couple weeks ago and from here on have vowed to never watch any future Shyamalan films. I was sickened that I spent $5.00 to watch it on the airplane!
M Night Shyamalan had a unique perception of the supernatural in his "The Sixth Sense." But he beat his concept dead with "Unbreakable" and made it all the worse with "Signs."
It's amazing the kind of movie that people will pay money to sit down and watch. I suppose, however, that I may be a more discerning patron that will never watch movies from directors like Shyamalan, Cameron Crowe or Curtis Hanson (at least, from now on after Crowe made "Vanilla Sky" and Hanson helmed "8 Mile").
I still have my copy of "Sixth Sense." But rest assured that I'll never add "Signs" to my Paper-Weights (titles I own but can never finish in one sitting). I'll save that bin for "Sixth Sense."