HorroRated archive entry
Signs
HorroRated verdict
- Directed by
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Written by
- M. Night Shyamalan
- Produced by
- Sam Mercer, M. Night Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy, Jeff Olson
Why it’s HorroRated
Signs works because Shyamalan keeps the alien invasion human-scaled and personal. Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix give grounded performances that sell the domestic dread and the film's best moments are built from suggestion and restraint. The water vulnerability is divisive but as a film about faith and loss finding each other it holds together. Better than its reputation.
Synopsis
Graham Hess lives with his children and brother on a farm in Bucks County when formations appear in the fields. Shyamalan uses the alien presence as background pressure on a story about a man working his way back to belief after loss. The restraint is the key: keeping the horror mostly peripheral to the family drama makes the moments when it comes forward hit much harder.
Filed under
Quick facts
- Release date
- August 2, 2002
- Runtime
- 1 hour 46 mins
- Country
- United States of America
- Language
- English, Portuguese
- Content rating
- PG-13
- Entry type
- Movie
Tags
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