Signs

Writer: M. Night Shyamalan
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Director of Photography: Tak Fujimoto
Composer: James Newton Howard
Editor: Barbara Tulliver
Lead Actor: Mel Gibson
Year: 2002

“Signs” perhaps best showcases writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s unique blend of sci-fi and real life. While there might be aliens or monsters, they are put in a very tangible setting. While the film might be marketed as a “thriller”, it has a deep level of heart. Night asks the question, “If something like this were to happen, how would people react?”

The film may start off a little slow, with guys running around corn fields and what not, but give it a chance. A crop circle shows up in the Hess family’s corn field in Philadelphia. This is strange enough, until people are finding these strange “signs” all around the world. Theories arise as to what the cause is. The adults are not so foolish as to believe extra-terrestrials are in fact the ones responsible, but the children fearfully entertain the possibility.

Surprisingly Christian themes arise in the midst of this disturbing tale. We learn that Graham Hess (Gibson’s character), has recently lost his wife in a tragic accident. This has caused the once devout “Father Graham” to loose his faith. He has decided that no one is watching out for them and that everything that happens in life is only coincidence. During this trying experience with an eminent attack from aliens, he hits rock bottom (quite literally). But there in his basement, he ultimately succumbs to the inevitable fact that there is a God.

Through the events following, things happen that cannot be merely coincidence. The only explanation is that someone is watching out for them. We watch as Graham Hess regains his faith through a simple and artistically executed sequence at the end of the movie.

Let’s just say Mel Gibson is a master. His rustic side gives his scenes a real punch. His face is able to contort into any emotion imaginable. A very unique scene with the family around the dinner table is a good example of the kinds of emotions fighting to be realized. In some ways, that scene is a climax; a clash of stress, bitterness, love, and…food. The timing is great, as are the expressions and dialog.

Joaquin Phoenix, who plays Mel’s younger brother, once again acts with a transparent quality, making his character both vulnerable and real. I thought the little boy was too scripted and Rory didn’t really know how to deal with it. Rory did do especially well with his emotional scenes and his asthma attack. Abigail Breslin is pretty cute.

There is a very special thing that James Newton Howard does with the score in Signs. Much of the music is built around a repeating three notes. This little motif has many moods. It is played during the scariest moments and then adapted for the moments of great relief. This musical touch, I thought worked quite well. Although I am aware that if I get the soundtrack, I won’t get much more than those three notes. Which seem rather to have been played by the scenes, than to be played for them. Played by the dark and by the light; whichever is dominating at the moment.

Night doesn’t like to use CGI, which I think adds to the sense of reality in his films. At times things may seem low budget in their simplicity. Then there are other things that Night doesn’t like to do. Yes, like any controlling perfectionist, he has a little ego. For instance, he thinks cuts are often used by filmmakers to cover things up, so he uses them as little as possible. I’m not sure if the practice always aids his work, although it does force him and his actors to be precise with the takes, the care of which I think show in his work. It's growing on me.