Signs ---- ***1/2 (out of 5) (2002)
Cast: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Patricia Calember, Cherry Jones
Director(s): M. Night Shyamalan
Screenwriter(s): M. Night Shyamalan
Released on: August 2, 2002
Reviewed on: August 11, 2002
Rated: PG-13 - for some frightening moments
After viewing this film, I feel there is great potential for director, Shyamalan, due to all of his films so far being hugely successful. When I discovered that he was the one behind the chilling tale that was THE SIXTH SENSE, I knew I would be in for something gripping if I was viewing another scary flick that contained his touch. I, happily, write this review now without a doubt in my mind that SIGNS entertained me greatly.
A priest named Graham Hess loses his wife in a terrible accident when she is hit by a sleeping driver while walking. This causes Graham to revoke his position as local priest. His brother, Merle, moves in with him and his two children to comfort them during their struggle and the family is faced with an even greater crisis when infamous crop circles begin appearing in the cornfield that surrounds their house. For those naive about crop circles, they are strange giant patterns that are carved into cornfields supposedly by extraterrestrial life, but the purpose of them is unknown. Things begin taking a turn for the eerie, and I apologize for I cannot continue my plot description without spoiling the film for you.
Any potential viewers that are expecting this to be brought on to you INDEPENDENCE DAY style, don't walk into the theatre unless you want to be let down. Fortunately, Shyamalan didn't resort to guns and explosions of any sort for his film. He relied on fear and the riveting environment to keep us entertained. This could not only let down fans of action movies, but also people that are expecting an ending that reveals everything about aliens and the crop circles. I must tell you right now that there isn't really any revelation. The purpose of all movies is to entertain us, correct? SIGNS is a suspense movie so its purpose is to chill us, and it accomplishes that in a cleverly crafted fashion.
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