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Signs
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
Starring: Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin
Running Time: 1:46
Country: USA
Year: 2002
Web: Official Site
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If The Sixth Sense didn't put M. Night Shyamalan's name on the map as Hollywood's greatest new storyteller, then Signs will. Shyamalan gets back on the filmmaking horse in his latest film, which he wrote, directed, and produced.
Signs is about former minister-turned-corn-farmer Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) and his children (Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin) who discover crop circles in their field. Graham's live-in brother, Merrill (played by Joaquin Phoenix) is a former minor league baseball player with an all-time high record of strike-outs that comes in handy by the end of the film.
Gibson is, of course, eloquent as a grief-stricken father, still haunted by the death of his wife and rediscovering his faith while trying to hold the family together during what appears to be an alien invasion. But the true stars of this movie are the children. Rory Culkin (who bears a striking resemblance to older brother Macaulay during his Home Alone days) steals every scene he's in with his convincing portrayal of the older brother looking out for his sister while researching and preparing the family for their "visitors." Then there's Abigail Breslin, whose voice has been deadpanning the phrase "There's a monster in my room. Can I have a glass of water?" on our television sets for the last month. (Which sounds eerily similar to the girl from Poltergeist saying, "They're heeeeeerreeeee!") Joaquin Phoenix is noteworthy as Merrill, who serves to be the comic relief in the sometimes tense film. It's a nice change from his performance as the "vexed" Emperor Commodus in the blockbuster Gladiator.
Shyamalan's film is sure to be a classic because his technique as a filmmaker follows the guidelines of such legends as Hitchcock and Spielberg.
Hitchcock is evident right away, starting with the opening credits which flow on the screen to a musical score similar to Psycho, thanks to composer James Newton Howard. Close-ups of slowly turning door knobs, extremely high and low angles, the play of light and shadow, and a director cameo (as a veterinarian) all hint towards Shyamalan's admiration for the ultimate director of suspense.
Although he may have Hitchcock's acute sense of filmmaking and eye for detail, when it comes to writing, it's clear he takes a cue from Spielberg. The film is an emotional roller coaster that ranges from a family drama/comedy to a gripping and suspenseful sci-fi film. (Think the comedy of E.T. with the drama of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.)
But let's not drown him in comparisons, for Shyamalan is a unique and innovative filmmaker in his own right. His compelling stories that may seem risky or out in left field, breathe new life into mainstream Hollywood and show us that he trusts his audience to be far more intelligent then to be dealt such duds as Halloween: Resurrection and Jason X for scares.
When watching the credits roll-up at the end of Signs, it's clear M. Night Shyamalan has done it again. This man has the magic touch for not only writing intricate yet beautifully written oddball stories, but that he is able to direct them into cinematic masterpieces.
Sarah Lund
 Unbreakable
The Sixth Sense
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Signs review
