Signs
2002
***
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Cherry Jones, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin, M. Night Shyamalan, Patricia Kalember, Ted Sutton, Merritt Wever, Lanny Flaherty, Marion McCorry, Michael Showalter, Clifford David
A bereaved former Reverend, his two children, and his younger brother live in growing fear as mysterious crop circles appear around their Pennsylvania farm and elsewhere across the world. M. Night Shyamalan made his name with The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, captivating thrillers which relied on surprising twists to varying degrees of success. With this science fiction-flavoured horror film, Shyamalan miscasts himself in a crucial supporting role, but he builds suspense slowly and very effectively behind the camera. Unfortunately, his screenplay turns out to be an intricate and frankly silly puzzle whose every little detail (wife's death, brother's baseball career, daughter's peculiar habits, etc.) serves a bigger purpose. The ultimate message of the film is that if you lose your faith in God, the aliens will overtake the Earth.
