Review of Signs (2002) by Ahmedaiman1999 — 05 Aug 2019

I have never been a big fan of Shyamalan's arguable masterwork, The Sixth Sense. Simply, because it leans heavily on its plot-twist, which I figured out from the first 5 minutes of the film. However, this was my only major issue with the entire film. Almost every single aspect of that film worked for me. I loved its uniquely warm atmosphere that boosts everything in the film: from the drama to the horror. I can say that Signs shares most of The Sixth Sense's merits.

From the way of building suspense to the somewhat cheesy melodrama that works perfectly to tackling themes of parental fear and invulnerability, It's safe to assume that Shyamalan has been immensely influenced by Spielberg's films. And all that Shyamalan excels at in this film.

What makes Signs different from similar Alien contact films at its time is its philosophical question it addresses, its commentary on faith and the moral dilemma the protagonist faces. I would be lying if I said that the philosophy is well woven into the plot: Shyamalan really has went too far here! As a result, the dialogue can be occasionally off-putting and the questions the film poses will definitely feel muddled.

However, as a consequence, the characters (especially the protagonist Graham Hess, played by Mel Gibson) are quite well-developed and multi-layered. What is even more impressive is how our main characters' vulnerabilities shape the aliens. Through brilliant use of foreshadowing and flash-backs throughout the film, I couldn't help being dazzled by the complete picture at the end.

Speaking of the end, there's no need to talk about the notorious implausible plot-twist that also, unfortunately, happens to be the film's major plot-hole.