Review of signs (2014) by David L — 17 Apr 2016
When an M. Night Shyamalan film works, it really works: case in point, Signs. Shyamalan sticks with the supernatural after The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable, this time with a sci-fi twist reminiscent of the genre films of the 70s.
It's not the most thrilling film, but what it lacks in thrills, Shyamalan makes up for in atmosphere. The film plays out exactly the way a story of this kind should, with a slow build up full of paranoia and shrouded in mystery.
At its core, however, this is a story about faith, and the way people lose and restore it in their lives. This allows for many emotionally resonant moments within the film: a scene with Mel Gibson's character breaking down alongside his family at the dinner table is absolutely heartbreaking, and might even elicit some waterworks.
Gibson is superb in his role as a father figure struggling with his own faith, and packs a lot of emotion into his role. Joaquin Phoenix is also stellar, with his own emltional moments to shine in as well.
Even the child acting is great, with Rory Culkin and Abigail Breson giving surprisingly good performances. It starts to devolve in the final act, like many Shyamalan films do, but this is definitely one of the higher points of his career.
This one packs both mystery and emotion into one solid package.
This review of signs (2014) was written by David L on 17 Apr 2016.
signs has generally received positive reviews.
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