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    Signs

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

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    Despite some problems," Signs" is a very suspenseful and frightening alien film that balances its side stories well. You have probably heard the faults of this movie over and over and these always regard the aliens, so I’ll discuss this issue and let you know why they work when you look at what’s beneath the surface of the film.

    Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) is a former priest living with his asthmatic son Morgan (Rory Culkin) and his young daughter Bo (Abigail Breslin) who has the annoying habit of leaving half-full glasses of water everywhere. Graham’s brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix) also lives in the small isolated farm. When crop circles appear in the Hess family farm, they become convinced that aliens have landed on Earth.

    Let’s get right to the aliens in the film. There are several scenes where they seem to have trouble with simple human technology and towards the end a possible "secret weapon" that might help humanity is introduced. It seems like a series of strange decisions to have these extraterrestrials that struggle with doorknobs and could be seemingly thwarted by common objects as the villains in a suspense film, but that’s because you’re not looking at the whole picture. Even if you don’t buy the recurring symbolism and how it plays into the plot, dismissing “Signs” because of that detail is a crime considering how well every other aspect works.

    One of the strongest elements is Mel Gibson and his portrayal of Graham Hess, a man who has completely lost his faith and become bitter after a personal tragedy. He’s become an extreme sceptic, meaning you’re likely to latch onto him as he dismisses the claims of alien invasion. That’s not to say the guy has his head buried so deep in the sand that he can’t recognize the “signs”, it’s that he’s a broken man. His character arc is what helps keep the movie grounded and it's what ultimately makes everything else work.

    When it comes to the suspense and terror, you better have a flashlight or light switch handy. You always see just enough to get you sweating without feeling like we're just being teased. As the movie keeps going, your mind starts expanding on the glimpses you've seen and that creeping terror sets in. Whenever there's a chance you'll see more of the creatures that are allegedly creating the crop circles, you won't know whether to look away or to hold your eyes open to make sure you don't miss anything. “Signs” stays grounded in reality despite its science fiction premise and does a good job capturing reactions to this unknown threat that feel completely genuine. There are also several scenes where the members of the household do research to arm themselves for when the creatures come and the information that's given does a good job of both comforting you and making you uneasy at what might happen to them.

    When it comes to the ending of the film, it's inevitable that people will dismiss the whole movie as nonsense but if you stop to think about it, the conclusion really works. Ultimately it's a movie that isn't just about crop circles and a possible alien invasion/abduction, it's about faith and a family sticking together despite being torn apart by a tragedy. The titular “Signs” are not just what’s on-screen, it’s the things that Graham notices, what he sees that no one else does. The film is well shot, well acted and tightly written with believable characters. It excels at delivering the suspense that you crave from and M. Night film. It might not be perfect but "Signs" certainly is an effective thriller that really delivers. It’s a picture that’s better the more you think about it. (On Blu-ray, March 15, 2013)

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    adamwatchesmovies@  13.2.2016 age: 26-35 2,866 reviews

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