Signs (2002) Dir: M. Night Shyamalan
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M. Night Shyamalan has a reputation for spooky films and strange twists. It was these things that attracted me to this often well remembered film from the early Noughties. I'm not Shyamalan's biggest fan, but I was in the mood, and this is one of his better rated films.
Sure, the whole alien subgenre had already been done to death long before 2002, but I thought Shyamalan did well to set up and tease the otherworldly happenings of the film. It plays on the well-forged tropes, but does so pretty effectively, I felt.
What I found pleasantly surprising was the little comedic moments that crept their way into the film. I actually found it all pretty entertaining. The story also worked pretty well, and the writing was, mostly, quite solid. There were some script issues, but I didn't have much of a problem letting the majority of these go.
With Shyamalan at the helm, I expected a significant twist - good or bad; that was what remained for me to determine. It turns out it was pretty bad. There was no logic, no rationale to it. In fact, it made no sense at all, considering the nature of said twist.
Mel Gibson felt very paternal and caring in his leading role. I enjoyed his performance a lot more than I expected. I thought that he mixed gentle and stoic in a very satisfying way. His acting wasn't perfect, but it was definitely decent.
Joaquin Phoenix was a far more mixed bag, in my opinion. There were glimpses of his evident talent, but there were also the clear signs of his bizarre and off-putting acting traits, which have landed him plenty of criticism and bemusement throughout his career.
I adored the performances of both Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin, young as they were. They were, quite frankly, adorable. I loved their on-screen siblinghood, which was extremely endearing. A small mention also goes the way of Cherry Jones for her solid supporting role.
Overall, I had a good time watching this silly alien thriller, but I wish the climax had been more impactful, and the key twist was quite simply baffling. Regardless, I still liked the film. It isn't Shyamalan's best; I sense I'll always see that as 'The Sixth Sense', but I do believe it's among his better creations.
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