Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment – 106 minutes – 2002 – Rated PG-13 – 1080p Widescreen 1.85:1 – Uncompressed 5.1 PCM audio mix 

M. Night Shyamalan’s 2002 film, Signs, is one of those movies that when it works, it’s got some great moments, but then there are scenes that you have to say to yourself, what the hell was this guy thinking? Still riding on the wave of success from The Sixth Sense and the mixed response from Unbreakable, Shyamalan chose to make a film about aliens attacking the Earth; but instead of a big budget special effects popcorn film like Independence Day, Signs focuses on the human side of an invasion. Signs is now available on high-definition Blu-ray from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, hoping to make you a true believer.

THE MOVIE

Signs stars Mel Gibson as Graham Hess, a man who has lost his faith in God and retired from being a Reverend after his wife died in a car accident. He takes on the simple life of being a crop farmer and raising his two children, with the help of his brother Merrill, played by Joaquin Phoenix. Odd things begin to occur on the farm, mixing in with events in the news about a possible invasion of the planet. The family soon discovers that something of unknown origin is in their town, as well as roaming around on their farm, and it’s slowly becoming a threat. The Hess family must now figure out what exactly the menace is and survive before it overtakes them.

Signs is effective because it plays out like one big episode of The Twilight Zone. You are literally waiting for Rod Serling to step into the frame to narrate the situation. For someone known for his macho action films, Mel Gibson is really good in the role of a mourning husband, who’s attempting to fight his inner demons and keep his family strong. Shyamalan knows how to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, because there are a few scenes that would have made his hero, Alfred Hitchcock, very proud.

Instead of having massive UFO shots and cities blowing up, having the whole story told through the eyes of the Hess family is a very powerful tool. Shyamalan understands that something simple can be so much more effective than overkill. The two kids in the movie played by Abigail Breslin and Rory Culkin seem like they were picked right out of a Spielberg movie; but it’s obvious that this is exactly what Shyamalan was going for, because there are a lot of E.T. touches in the film.

But on the bad side, Shyamalan makes decisions with the outcome of the story that will make you scratch your head. What looks good on paper does not always translate well on the screen. Those of you who have seen the film already will understand what I mean, but for those of you who haven’t, I will not give anything away, so you can see it and judge for yourself. And Shyamalan really has to avoid casting himself in his own movies. (Lady in the Water is a perfect example of this). Focus on writing and directing and let the actors act.

Signs is a good movie, but it could have been an incredible movie, because it has all the right elements but gets lost in the fog somewhere along the journey. The film has a solid cast and premise, but in the end you may feel like you arrived late to a party and no one saved you any cake. But if you’re a fan of thrillers and science fiction, Signs does hold a spot in that genre and is definitely worth your attention, and makes for a great Saturday night movie.

VIDEO

Offering a 1080p picture and a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, Signs looks good, but it’s not Blu-ray show off material. The image quality is sharp and a definite upgrade from the standard DVD. There are various scenes that look soft, but it seems as if this was the director’s decision to make certain things more dream-like. There are only a few CGI scenes in the movie, but HD doesn’t favor them, because it makes it look very fake; so it’s fortunate that acting is highlighted over special effects. Overall, you’re getting a decent transfer, just don’t expect it to jump off your screen.

AUDIO

The audio in Signs overtakes the picture quality, and with its creepy premise and things that go bump in the night style, it’s very effective. Signs pumps out a PCM 5.1 surround audio mix, that if you’ve got a decent sound system, you’ll get more bang for your buck with this film. The sound design puts you in right the situation with the characters, and in certain scenes where there is total silence and then something occurs, you’re going to jump. This is a heavy dialogue film, and the mix does a good job and bringing out all of the character’s words. The best way to enjoy it is in a quiet room with all the lights turned out; you’ll really appreciate the effort that went into the sound.

EXTRAS

All the extra features in Signs are lifted directly from the regular DVD and are all presented in standard definition. Shyamalan, like Spielberg, does not do audio commentaries for his films, so don’t expect one here.

The main highlight is ‘Making Signs’ an hour long documentary split up in six sections: ‘Looking for Signs,’ ‘Building Signs,’ The Effects of Signs,’ ‘The Music of Signs,’ ‘Making Signs,’ and ‘Full Circle.’ This documentary takes you on location and includes interviews with Shyamalan, Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix and other members of the production. There’s some good stuff in here to offer an insight of what went into making signs, but a lot of it also feels very dated, and it’s only been six years.

There are five deleted scenes, running about 15 minutes. Mainly these are extended scenes with additional dialogue, but a couple of them are fully omitted scenes. It’s worth a look.

A multi-angle storyboard allows you to use your remote to see the alien sighting scene of the movie, letting you compare the final film to the storyboards. No biggie, you’ve seen this done many times before.

And of course Shyamalan sticks one of his short films he made as a kid on the disc. This one is obviously about aliens.

BOTTOM LINE

Signs’ finale may or may not leave a bad taste in your mouth, but it’s not a bad film at all. When he’s at his best, Shyamalan is a good filmmaker, but then there are times where…Well, you know. As a Blu-ray Signs offers good picture quality and great sound, but the extras are mediocre. If you already own the DVD and really like this film, it’s worth the effort to upgrade. For those seeing it for the first time, rent it first and see if it sends a tingle down your spine.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 3.5

Video: 3.5

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 3.5