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"I Could Go for
Some Hershey's
Kisses..." |
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Directed by M. Night
Shyamalan- Written by M.
Night Shyamalan
Starring Mel Gibson,
Joaquin Phoenix, Rory
Culkin & Abigail Breslin
Distributed by Buena
Vista -
2002 - 106m - Rated PG13 |
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A quietly mesmerizing film from the new master of supernatural
thrillers. Director M. Night Shyamalan blends the ingredients of
Spielberg's best films with the suspense of Alfred Hitchcock to create
a movie that will have you leaning forward in your chair listening to
silence and searching the screen for what you can't see, but know is
there... somewhere. |
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Mel Gibson plays an
ex-reverend who lost his faith due to a tragic event six months
earlier. He lives in a serene town in Pennsylvania with his two young
children (Breslin & Culkin) and his brother who has come to stay with
them during their time of grieving. One day, crop circles begin to
appear in his corn fields, and following the headlines in the news
they see that they are not the only ones. The phenomena is spreading
rapidly throughout the globe... faster than ever before. The notion of
a hoax is no longer feasible. We watch as this small family comes to
terms with what appears to be the inevitable.
Sometimes showing us all the details can be less effective than
letting us know that there are some. M. Night Shyamalan is becoming a
masterful director before our very eyes... he knows how to get under
our skin and into our imaginations.
I loved the way this film stays focused with absolute clarity on this
family... this is not a story of what is happening to the world...
only these four people. By doing so, the director gives us time to
know this group and feel what they have already gone through, and what
they will go through. Each character is given nuance and depth in ways
that the majority of films, especially those like this, overlook
completely.
Mel Gibson gives a very subtle performance, one that would be easy to
overlook. Shyamalan always seems to convince his lead actors to be
still and quiet, and gives them time to be on screen doing seemingly
nothing. But this has a neat effect... the audience is forced to watch
the characters thinking... and thus is forced to think themselves. We,
the viewer, can create more tension and horror in our minds than a
film can provide us through gory explosive action.
Joaquin Phoenix does a nice job in his role. He plays more as the
comic relief than anything else... and somewhat surprisingly Signs is
one of the funnier films of the year. The nervous tension can really
make you giggle when a lighthearted moment springs up.
A special note must go to the two child actors. They do an absolutely
terrific job!!! I loathe it when kids act poorly in a film... no one
can ruin a film faster than they can, but they also do not get enough
credit when they give stellar performances like they do here. Abigail
Breslin is especially noteworthy... she is heartwarming and funny and
loveable and powerfully expressive in ways reminiscent of Victoire
Thisivol's standout effort in the 1996 film Ponette. You wouldn't
think a person so young could deliver such depth... but I think she is
terrific here.
The score is very effective... it has a touch of Psycho to it. The
cinematography is somewhat forgettable, but the camera work and
movement is every bit as inventive and fluid as Shyamalan's two
previous efforts (The Sixth Sense & Unbreakable).
And, for once, the ending of a film doesn't wrap everything up in to a
neat little package... we are left still asking questions... and that
is a wonderful thing that most directors don't have enough clout to
give us!!!
This thriller is the best of Shyamalan's three features so far, and
they have all been very good. 'Signs' might end up on my 2002 Top Ten
List.
Occasionally the plot is manipulated to suit its own needs... some
things are a little to convenient (The Book). I cannot be more
specific about that without giving away anything.
This is a smart film... not necessarily in terms of plotting, but in
pacing, acting, directing, and the way it is revealed to us only
through the eyes of this family. Sometimes showing us all the details
can be less effective than letting us know that there are some. M.
Night Shyamalan is becoming a masterful director before our very
eyes... he knows how to get under our skin and into our imaginations.
I'd also like to note that I loved
the marketing campaign for this film. Crop circles and Mel Gibson...
that's about it. And the crop circles really have nothing to do with
anything except the setup! I hate it when the previews give away the
entire film... Shyamalan obviously had a hand in this decision, as
studio heads usually insist on overtly revealing previews. I am glad
they avoided that here.
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© Written by TC Candler -
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