Perfect - Signs Reviews

What an outstanding movie. "Signs" has everything you could ever want in a movie: drama, suspense, comedy, action, mystery... this is quite possibly the best movie I have ever seen.

Haunting and stunning - Signs Reviews

Very rare does a film like this come along! This one was just perfect for all of us who still wish that every film had great acting! And hats off to the director for remiding us that the Lord is still watching over us!

Amazing movie!!! - Signs Reviews

It was an amazing tale of a man who lost his faith, and what happened for him to regain it. There are alot of people who didn't like this film, but they were either critics (Who wouldn't know a good movie if it bit them in the ass (wink loz )) Or people who just wanted to see aliens destroy earth. That is not what this movie is about. All I can say is, see it for yourself. It was an amazing film!

Shyamalan's auteuristic approach towards signs - Signs Reviews

M. Night Shyamalan is more than just the director of Signs; he is the screenwriter and producer of the film as well. Shyamalan is known for his creativity and uniqueness. He is involved in almost every aspect of the film and is devoted to it. He was also the director/writer in Praying with Anger (1998), The Sixth Sense (1999), and Unbreakable (2000). After viewing these films one can find a consistent style in Shyamalan?s movies and they are also present in his most recent film, Signs (2002). I would like to discuss some of the recurrent themes we find in these films. First of all, Shyamalan seems to be concerned with relationships in the midst of conflicts. In Signs, Mel Gibson plays Graham Hess, a former minister who losses his faith after his wife died in a car accident. Graham has to raise his two children with the help of his younger brother, Merill (played by Joaquin Phoenix). Shyamalan focuses on the relationship between this family in the middle of a crisis involving a possible alien invasion. Many viewers were disappointed with the film because they did not understand that the film was not really about aliens invading the world. The film is truly about the relationship between Graham and his children who are trying to overcome the loss of their mother and the loss of their father?s faith. In The Sixth Sense Shyamalan also deals with several relationships which are shaken because of Cole?s special gift. There is a conflict between husband and wife, son and mother, and also a conflict between the doctor and his patient (one could also say that Malcolm serves as a father figure for Cole). In Unbreakable the relationship problems are also between husband and wife, and father and son. In these struggling relationships there is usually a supernatural event involved that builds up the suspense in the movie, but these events are not the key theme of Shyamalan?s films. These events are the means to solving the relationships, but the fundamental theme is the relationship itself. In The Sixth Sense the relationships are strengthened after Cole finds out how he can use his gift in a positive way. In Unbreakable they are strengthened after David finds out that he has a special power and a purpose in life. Signs is another great example of this because the relationship between Graham and his children is strengthened after he rediscovers his faith and finds out that everything happens for a reason. Shyamalan is trying to send a positive message to his audience by telling them that every relationship can be strengthened if we truly believe that everything happens for a reason- even the bad things. We just have to learn how to read those ?signs? that the director includes in all his films, which leads me to my next point. Shyamalan is well known in all his films for having surprising endings. This is probably his best known personal stamp. He ends his films with a twist and then uses flashbacks to show the audience all the clues that were given to them along the way. These clues (or signs) are given to the audience so that they can participate in the film. One has to pay close attention to the signs that are given to us in the films in order to understand the ending. The ending is surprising because we have missed the clues that were given to us along the way and not because Shyamalan has been withholding information from us. Everything we needed to know to not be surprised in the end was there all along, but we missed those signs and that is why the ending is surprising. All Shyamalan has to do is show flashbacks in order for us to see everything we missed. He is trying to teach his audience that in order to see his films they must become involved in the film and learn how to read those signs. The Sixth Sense is a great example of this because the pieces of the puzzle were there all along, but at the end of the film most of us were surprised because we were not able to put those pieces together. The scene where Cole tells Malcolm his secret is an important piece of the puzzle because Cole is talking about him as well, but we don?t realize this until we see the end of the film, and only then do we find out that we were not actively involved in the film as we should have been. This is why we go back and try to watch the movie for a second time in order to catch all the clues that were given to us along the way. After we realize that the signs were there we understand that we were not cheated, we simply put the pieces of the puzzle in the wrong places. Many people might disagree with me and say that Signs did not have a twisted ending, but why did so many people leave disappointed at the end? Many were hoping to see more aliens and more action. But the truth of the matter is that the film was never about the aliens. Shyamalan has been giving us signs along the way and trying to tell us the real meaning of the film, which was that everything happens for a reason. Graham understands this at the end and rediscovers his faith once he understands that his wife?s death happened for a reason. Once he realizes this, he is able to strengthen his relationship with his family and with God. The signs were there all along, he just had to learn how to read them, and so do we. Shyamalan once said that his ?biggest fear in life is to be average.? I do not think that he has to worry about that because he has been very original in his work and has had success with it. He has proved that he does not have to be violent in order to scare his audience.

It doesn't take gore to make a horror movie... - Signs Reviews

I don't understand why so many hate this movie. Well, maybe I do. So many think it take blood and guts to make a horror movie, and ignore actual mental horrors. The silence in this movie makes all the difference. No stupid music to ruin the suspence... just silence. Just imagine how you would feel if this happened... just imagine the fear and uncertainty. I for one think it was superb.

Signs - Signs Reviews

M. Night Shyamalan is the master of thrillers! Mel Gibson's best movie, ever since Braveheart. Mel made this movie work! Signs could be the most best movie M. Night Shyamalyan has ever directed. Signs is a suspense-filled twiight zone thriller! In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the Hess family woke up one morning and find a 500-foot crop circle in their back yard. Graham Hess ( Mel Gibson ) and his brother Merril Hess ( Joaquin Phoenix ) are told that an alien is responsible for the sign on their yard. It's a good thriller, that you'll want to see it twice!

A new classic from a new master... - Signs Reviews

Reading the negative comments on this movie confirm what I'd long believed: most people need to be spoon-fed their entertainment. It has to be black-and-white, spelled out right in front of them, or they just don't get it. "Signs" is not a movie that spells it out for you. You have to use that most neglected of all human organs: The brain. But if you do divert a little energy to your gray matter, you are in for a fantastic emotional journey that's as engrossing and masterful as they come. Shyamalan deserves to be mentioned in the same sentences as Spielberg, Hitchcock, and Kubrick. I was enchanted, I was challenged, I was enlightened. I literally laughed, cried, and nearly wet my pants with fear. If you're looking for Independence Day, the X-Files, or War of the Worlds, (which many people clearly are) look somewhere else. This is not that type of film! But it *is* the most engaging, thoughtful, and purely frightening alien-genre movie since Close Encounters of the Third Kind. 5 out of 5. 10 out of 10. Go see it. Bring your brain, and pay attention.

Silence is scary - Signs Reviews

I SAW THIS IN THE THEATER LAST YEAR WHEN I WAS 11.IT WAS SCARY.DID I CARE THAT I ONLY GOT 2HOURS OF SLEEP?DID I CARE,NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!IT'S 1 OF THE BEST FILMS EVER MADE.I GOT IT FOR MY SISTER FOR DVD,THE DELETED SCENES ARE AWSOME.BUY IT SOON.

A sign of great film-making! - Signs Reviews

I went into Signs hoping to see a scary, alien thriller. I came out seeing one of the most thought provoking films of the summer, sugar coated with a sci-fi subplot. M. Night Shamalyn is showing to be the next Hitchcock in this amazing movie about a farmer (Gibson) who turns away from God after his wife is killed in a car crash. He lives with his two children (both is "Haley Joel Osmand" callibre performances) and his brother (Joaqin Phoenix proving he is more than the emporer from Gladiator) when crop circles appear at his farm. The movie starts right in with Gibson finding the circles, and trying to figure out the meaning. Other circles had appeared all over the world, and soon lights are over Mexico city. The movie is terrifying, my heart was still pounding ten minutes after the film was done. M. Night Shamalyn had done it again. The best part of the movie though is its story in finding our meaning in life. The crop circles simply act as a metaphor for his life (strange things happen, and he doesn't know why it happened). This is not the first time M. Night Shamalyn has done this. If you recall that sixth sense was more about communication than seeing dead people. I highly recommend that everyone go see this movie.

Good movie - Signs Reviews

This like all of M. Night Shamalyns(I don't know how to spell his name) was a really good one. Now I just have to wait until 2004 to see his new movie "The Woods".

Spooky and haunting - Signs Reviews

I have to say that Signs is one of the best alien movies I have seen. All the characters are great and they all command a powerful performance. My all time favorite part and one, in my mind the scariest part is when Merril is sitting in the closet and is watching the birthday part in Brazil. And then when the alien nochalontly walks out of the corn. Boy that part sends shivers down my spine every time! The funniest part, is when Gram comes back to the house and he looks over at his kid and his brother sitting on the couch with tin-foil hats on their heads. That part cracks me up every time! I was most impressed with the prefomance of Mr. Pheonix. It was such a contrast to his Gladiator character. Besides he is one of my favorite actors!

Spooky... - Signs Reviews

I found this movie to be suspenseful and creative. You don't see too many movies that have the world going to end by an attack by aliens and the Americans not doing any thing about it. They should have called up Will Smith to go jump in a space ship and blow the mother ship up. That seems realistic enough. That was the best when they had some country, other than the U.S figure out a way of killing the aliens. I also thought it was a good idea not to show the aliens that much. (This isn't an action/horror movie!) We don't need to see all the guts and blood of the aliens, if they show too much of them it takes away the suspense of the whole movie, and wondering if they are actually for real or a big Hoax. And another thing is the aliens were not all that impressive in the first place; I don't think you needed to see much more of them. At least you know where they spent their budget on (Mel Gibson), and not on special effects. Over all I rate this movie an 8/10.

Suspense! - Signs Reviews

This movie excels at a somewhat lost movie art: suspense. The director and story teller does a good and unique job of engaging the viewer so we're on the edge of our sets wondering what is going to happen next and what is around the next corner and in the director's usual style, there's a hidden story secret that's revealed at the climax. This is not just a story about scary things that frighten us, but a story about people and their relationships and beliefs. I'm not religious, but found the lead characters conflict compelling. Also, I saw "Unbreakable" (same writer/director) and didn't think that movie was engaging as compared to this one. However, I'm definitely glad to have this writer/director out there creating movies (won't attempt to butcher the spelling of his name from memory) and I think he's one of the top movie-makers these days. Don't forget to see his home-videos on the DVD version(s)--- it's a reminder that it takes a lot of work and commitment to achieve what he has, but that it all starts with a desire/vision/dream.

Interpretation of signs - Signs Reviews

One of the things that I think that most people miss in this movie is that the Aliens arent evil. Its all about the way we interpretate the signs. At no time we see the aliens make something evil. They make crop circles and hover over cities but if you think about it in a rational manner then this is more a sign of trying to communicate rather than of hostile intentions. If the aliens in fact were hostile dont you think that they would have brought some weapons to kills us primitive people? You have to remember if they have the technology to travel to earth from a distant planet they would be 1000 times superior to us. Resistance would be futile, as they say :) It obvious to me that the message in the movie is that we humans project our fears into the unknown. We let our fear dictate how we interpretate signs. In the movie Mel Gibson is convinced that the aliens are evil and therefore he never see the signs in a rational manner. As a last resort he picks up on his believ in his mythical religion when he thinks that it can save his own ass. Ironically he regains his faith by killing the alien that saves his own child. If you are one of those people who thought the aliens were evil I suggest you see the movie again.

Signs truely brilliant! - Signs Reviews

I can't believe that I see F's in this movie, but I also have to realize that others have their own opinion (besides those pathetic people who HAVE to like what others do so they are "COOL"). Anyways I have done more that 100 movie reviews and I have seen some brilliant movies and this isn't on my top ten list, but defenatly on top twenty. Anyways I relly recommend this movie, hope this was helpful, thank you!

The teen critic - Signs Reviews

Talk about a terrible movie. I was expecting it to be somewhat good because it was the same director as "The Sixth Sense" but boy did the plot want me to scream...at its dullness. Basically all these crop circles that show up on farms are signs from outer space of aliens informing other aliens where to strike when they take over the world. And Rory Culkin's character (yes a Culkin brother!) has a baby monitor that just so happens to pick up alien communications. The men of the house (Joaquin Phoenix, Mel Gibson) are skeptical at first and think he is only trying to scare his little sister (who is ADORABLE). Later on when news gets around that something is happening to the world of unexplained reasons of these crop circles slowly each of them realize how serious this is becoming. Joaquin is the first to believe wearing an aluminum hat to prevent aliens from reading his mind. Then Mel believes by nailing wood to doors and windows. With only the TV on as their "outside window" they wait until the invasion is over. The rest of the film is just them trying to survive in a house that is being taken over by aliens. Not scary at all. Just stupid. The ending was incredibly predictable and random. This movie just was completely poorly written and acted out. But I will admit the direction and visuals were good when I saw the outside looking down at the crop circles. The rest was just too hard on the eyes to watch. I almsot fell asleep. The aliens are not scary, the sounds are not "jump out of your seat" scary, the plot is not suspensful but predictable. This is so shameful to say but the children were better actors than Joaquin and Mel. And those two have made movies longer. They were just so fake and terrible in this movie.

Hitchcockian thriller... - Signs Reviews

After the Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, and now Signs, I certainly hope we see something new from M. Night Shyamalan very soon. He is already a recognized and marketable name as a director. I can't help but liken him to Alfred Hitchcock, though he is nowhere near and will likely never achieve that bar set by Hitchcock. Even the music and his cameo appearances in his films suggest Hitchcock. I honestly didn't know what to expect going into this one. I knew it would be creepy. I wanted a thriller. I got way more than I expected. People looking for another 'Independence Day' or 'Alien' need not apply. You won't see much of the aliens in this movie. But, as it turns out, this movie isn't about aliens at all. It's about faith. I have NEVER seen the subject of faith presented in such a novel and provoking way. Mel Gibson needs to take on more roles like this one, because here he truly shines. For that matter, the entire cast does a remarkable job, notably Joaquin Phoenix and Rory Culkin. This movie had its scares, but at the same time it had some absolutely hilarious moments. This movie has found the balance between horror and comedy that clicks just so perfectly. Don't just ask someone to tell you what happens. If you're at all interested, see this movie. Thought provoking, funny, scary, and entertaining, this is the best of Shyamalan's work to date. I eagerly await announcement of his next movie, and hope it continues his trend of quality and Hitchcockian suspense.

Worse than gigli. - Signs Reviews

This film could have been half-decent. The build-up in the first forty minutes or so led me to believe that the film might be interesting. Unfortunately from this point on it bombed so badly that I would have gained more had I spent the rest of the duration of the film in the cinema toilet vommiting my disgust. This film will satisfy the intellectually enfeebled and so I would urge these people to watch this film. For those whose IQ is in at least double figures you would do better to stay at home and watch several "T.J Hooker" re-runs.

Too bad about the ending! - Signs Reviews

I loved 'The 6th Sense', i hated 'Unbreakable' & now i love 'Signs'. It's a great movie: the acting is amazing (especially Joaquin Phoenix), the story is interesting, the visuals are great,...BUT: the ending kinda ruins the movie for me. *spoilers* Why o Why did the director have to show us the aliens? The scene with the Alien in the living room is so unreal & disappointed me extremely. But the rest of the movie is absolutely wonderful...so i just accept the fact that there's a crappy ending. If you like creepy movies, you'll like this one. I'm not easily scared by movies...but this one definitely scared the s**t out of me at times ;-)

Breath-takingly beautiful film. - Signs Reviews

I saw this when it first came out at the cinema and was struck by how inteligent a film it was. I saw it again tonight on a pay-per-view channel, and I see it more clearly now. This film goes straight into my personal favourite top three films of all-time. Basically it's about a family trying to come to terms with grief. They have lost their mother, and Mel Gibsons charactor has lost a wife he obviously loved deeply. Whilst they are trying to get back to some sort of normality, they discover a huge crop circle in their backyard. Strange occurrances happen, and it turns out to be an alien invasion! What makes this film unique is that the action revovles around this one family and how things effect them. Will the father figure be able to snap himself out of his grief to be able to look after his family, or will the aliens win? All the charactors are fully fleshed out. We learn in flashbacks how the wife and mother died, and everyhting is observed in an inteligent manner. There aren't too many films about that say, "stuff it" let the audience work it out for themselves, they are clever enough! This film is a genuine golden nugget of a film.

A brilliant movie with a bad ending... - Signs Reviews

M Night does quite a good job building suspense and a genuine fear in his audience. Perhaps he even over does it with the tension in Signs. The characters always are acting strangely, there is always something disturbing in every scene such that there are very few relaxing moments for you to breath again to contrast that tension. The problem is two things...first, the girl has a magical premonition and there is this whole "prophesy" thing going on which is NEVER done well in any movie let alone this one and second, the movie's central message is to have a certain amount of faith and believe in hope and humanity...but then they just have this goofy resolution to the alien invasion that fails to live up to the message. HOWEVER, the idea of showing a worldwide horror from the perspective of an individual family was absolutely BRILLIANT and truly terrifying in many ways.

My favorite movie of all time - Signs Reviews

This is clearly the best picture I have ever seen. The acting is amazing, the direction is terrific, and the music is spine tingling, and touching. This is a must see for anyone who likes alien movies!

A very poor film. - Signs Reviews

The first half of the film wasn't as bad as i had feared. The second half of the film more than made up for this. The inconsistent, shoddy script was obviously 'excogitated' by either a five-year old or a cretin. On a positive note; if you like B-movies from the 50s or you're just into pretentious films that like to think they have a clever message when in fact they have a message about as poignant as a Dog excreting on a tree, then you MUST see this.

Most original horror movie in a long time - Signs Reviews

M. Night Shyamalan is an amazingly talented film maker. This movies has so many great elements so hard to blend together. It's very scary but even if it's not the scariest movie of the year (The Ring succeeds in scaring us alone) it is certainly the best of its genre. Especially if you like Psycho or The Shining - SEE THIS MOVIE!

I didn't know what to expect... - Signs Reviews

before I saw this movie because I'm not a huge fan of suspense type movies but I was happily surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. I found the script to be very intelligent and well written(Most suspense films tend to have very cheesy/horably bad scripts). The acting/directing was excellent. And I also found the visuals to be very good. They were not over the top like in most movies you see today. I would love to see more movies with a story like this!

"signs", unlike any alien story! - Signs Reviews

Signs is one of the most compelling alien stories I've ever seen. Unlike "Independence Day", with it's air-to-air, jet-to-UFO, aweseome fighting scenes, "Signs" scares you by telling a story, in which you can relate to, and by "relate to", I mean, being in that posistion, of not knowing what to expect, and fearing, the unknown, I give it a "A+++"!

"is it possible there are no coincidences?" - Signs Reviews

There are plenty of movies that use the idea of aliens invading and attacking earth. Some are good, some are incredibly bad. Signs uses that concept but follows through on it in a way I've never seen before. Instead of showing a bunch of stories like what the president is doing about this, the army fighting the aliens, and showing hundreds of people running and screaming, this movie shows how most people would probably be experiencing this: at home, anxiously watching the news for information. There are plenty of suspenseful scenes that are scary not because of what you see, but because of what you don't see, and what you are afraid to see. Many people love this movie for doing this, others hate it for it. If you're a fan of movies full of alien carnage with creatures biting the heads off people and blowing up cities, Signs may not be for you. But like all of M. Night's films, it still makes a pretty good movie without the main concept. It's actually a pretty touching story about family, faith, and the possibility that there are no coincidences and there is a reason behind everything. That's what makes this movie worth watching over.

Signs - Signs Reviews

Wow, this movie I saw 3 times last summer and its been my favorite movie the past couple of years since. Shyamalan tops his past two movies with this I believe. The acting, cinematography, direction, and dialog are all great in this movie. Gibson gives one of his best performances as a priest who has lost his afith. It is not his typical performance which shows how good of a director Shyamalan is. Gibson shows great skill with this chracter and makes you see his pain his character has gone through. In one scene, which in my opinion is the best, they are locked in the basement and he tries to calm his son down from an asthma attack. It is the most moving scene in the movie. The last meal scene Gibson also is great in, when he becomes angry and starts taking all the food. JOquien Pheonix is also great as the optimistic brother. Also good are child stars Abagail Breslin and Rory Culkin. The story isnt as half baked and poorly written as some have said. It is a beautiful blend of faith, fate, science fiction, and life itself. If you can find different analysis of this film on the web it goes into more detail of what Im stating. The cinematography is tops. Shyamalan does a good job capturing images by not using many cuts with the camera. HIs timing with the fantasic musical score. OO ya and I loved the ending!

Not since stephen king ... - Signs Reviews

... has someone come along with the true, natural, undeniable storytelling abilities as of M. Night Shyamalan. His approach is a kind of subtle that ultimately turns around and slaps you in the face, leaving you with a dopey, startled grin. He doesn't need an overly extravagant setting. The actors are never overdramatic or unbelieveable. "The Sixth Sense" was a sure sign that this was a guy with staying power. Not only can he creep you out, he can make you think. A viewer gets so involved with the characters and the story that they miss all the hidden details of the surprise ending to come -- which always in retrospect seem so obvious a blind man could pick them out. And "Signs" is just another of many triumphs yet to come for this talented writer and director. I can hardly wait to see what he serves up next. Bravo!

A profound and brilliant movie. - Signs Reviews

This movie is so far over most people's heads it should only be shown on the Moon. World-class movie-making and superbly executed commentary on faith, coincidences and fate. Watch it twice before you judge it. It's not about UFOs or aliens. It's about parenthood, God and the restoration of faith.

This truly scary movie has it all. - Signs Reviews

From the moment Signs begins, it grabs you into a movie that is exceptionally suspenseful and visually stunning. This truly scary movie has it all. The acting is suberb, the direction by Shyamalan is untouched, and this is one the years top 10 films. Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) lives on the farm with his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix) and his children Morgan and Bo (Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin). From the very first shot, there is an eerie, somethings not right feeling. Instead of special effects (though there are some), Shyamalan uses objects that are nothing out of the ordinary, but uses them in very smart and very original ways. Even the small characters (AKA - anchorman on the T.V.) have a sense of panic and tension in their voices. The music in the movie carries it well, and just hearing it gives you the chills. Everything about this movie works and it is destined to be classic movie, set in a category by itself.

A great masterpiece - Signs Reviews

I liked this movie because of the way it represents our fear of whether other life forms may be hostile or not. I liked the mystery surrounnding the film and the way that both image and sound scare you. It terrifed me when Mel Gibson's character goes out in the corn field to find out who's there. The scariness is that the feeling you get that the place around you isn't safe. This movie has suspensful moments and a great horror flick. I think it's meant to be a thriller than a horror flick but still it was enjoyable.

Had me up for a week.. - Signs Reviews

Im not the type of person who gets scared of movies but..OMG this movie scared the *****ing ***** out of me. I think Its mostly because of the thought of it really happening. The shadow on top of the barn and the alien b-day party sceens scared the ***** out of me. The story kicked ass and the Acting could not have been better. Mel Gibson Played a great father who struggled to keep his family alive from the earth coming to an end by extra trestreals. This move was 2 THUMBS UP!! ****Four stars!!

Nights first without willis - Signs Reviews

NIght has finally got the reputation he needed. So the question is: Is Night alone in the dark without willis??? The answer is: ABSOLUTLY NOT! Although his films with bruce are great. Signs is greater. Mel Gibson is great along with J. Pheonix. The suspense and fear builds up like mad. With the huge question tensing you up: will I see the alien or will I not? And thats the question that drives this movie and drives you to watch it. And Shymalan is a screenplay genius. His story is outstanding. Making things not relivent suddenly relivent in small and maybe large ways. Signs is Nights best. Its truely creepy and outstating.