I have quite mixed feelings about M Night Shyamalan. He always has great ideas but the execution is usually lacking, particularly in the final third. However with Signs I think the idea is relatively simple but the execution is pretty solid throughout.
The simplicity of the premise isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's a movie devoid of any action or big set pieces, but that is quite a refreshing approach. It's an alien invasion story told on a very small scale from the perspective of one family, which does make the whole thing feel quite intimate.
I think the atmosphere that is created is really good. It feels almost like a horror movie at times with the gloomy setting and the camera work, and the subtle ways the aliens are introduced and seen.
What does let this film down for me however is the characters. I think if you are making a film like this that focuses on the characters and not necessarily any action, they have to be compelling and I just didn't find that to be the case. The performances were all quite good, but I just think the writing needed to be a little better.
Overall though I think this is definitely one of M Nights better films. He doesn't overextend himself with the premise and manages to stick the landing, making for a pretty engaging movie well worth a watch.
The simplicity of the premise isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's a movie devoid of any action or big set pieces, but that is quite a refreshing approach. It's an alien invasion story told on a very small scale from the perspective of one family, which does make the whole thing feel quite intimate.
I think the atmosphere that is created is really good. It feels almost like a horror movie at times with the gloomy setting and the camera work, and the subtle ways the aliens are introduced and seen.
What does let this film down for me however is the characters. I think if you are making a film like this that focuses on the characters and not necessarily any action, they have to be compelling and I just didn't find that to be the case. The performances were all quite good, but I just think the writing needed to be a little better.
Overall though I think this is definitely one of M Nights better films. He doesn't overextend himself with the premise and manages to stick the landing, making for a pretty engaging movie well worth a watch.