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Oct. 10, 2004 The film "Signs," by M. Night Shymalan, is both compelling and cogent, in a manner that the audience is drawn into a multi-layered, yet suspencefully laced with symbols, experience. Viewers, through the lighting, and artwork of the eye of the writer and his camera undergo suggestions of possiblities of faith, spirituality, and how under duress and loss, the deeper facets of these aspects, we can know and experience in the theater of life. Also, even in doubt or facing the unknown. A very American family - complete with red/white/blue colored farmhouse - the Hess family. We meet them one by one, and are drawn into the loss of wife and mother, a father who is a Reverend, two young children, and the Reverend's brother. The nature of how the wife/mother passes away - a car crash where the driver nodded off for a few seconds - tears at the heart of the father to the point he leaves the church, struggling with grief. (played by Mel Gibson.) We meet the brother who moves in (Joaquin Phoenix,)and the children (Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin.) Crop circles start appearing around the world and in the Hess's world. At first no one is taking it seriously, there occurrences - not explained in actual life in the 70's. (Of note, the filming of this movie began 9/12/2001, and the crew held a candlelight vigil before starting shooting - they also, due to the pain of the day before for America, shot the most emotionally difficult scene - the final moments between the Reverend and his wife, or the conversation they shared as she passed away.) This film will make you laugh, cry, and take great note of the symbols through each scene. The Reverend, leaves the church, and there is a crucifix on the wall in a slightly darker, almost pained shade. Something unkown i.e. crop circles start appearing and one is in their backyard which is a cornfield. The children marvel at the site, with Rory Culkin, saying "I think God did it." He literally has to turn his dad's face to take in what has happened. The signifigance of water is a constant through out this film as the daughter always feels the water is n't pure enough and she would like some that's fresh. A scene between the ex-Reverend and his brother is shot on a couch and their faces are lit so it almost looks like a Yin Yan symbol as they talk about luck vs. faith. while watching reports of increasing activity involving crop cirlces, and is it a hoax? What's happening? The unbelieveable unknown. The conversation between Reverend and brother includes the line, "you have to ask yourself, which group you fall into...luck? or miracles?" There are many shots which catch you off guard, but are not explicit, and then such scenes as walking upstairs from the basement where the window has symbols used through the ages by many cultures believed to hold spiritual signifigance. The film is excellent, and the flashback in the midst of the unbelievable from the last conversation with his wife, is the denoument of the film, yet their are scenes of reflections of the characters, a near-death experience by the son, media talking about "many have flocked to..." and listed off are references to many faiths. In the end, it is all faith and the Reverend inside him with the near death of his family due to this unknown phenomenon, and the near death experience of his asthmatic son. His son survives and awakens to ask, "Dad...did someone save me?" Mel Gibson is excellent as you see him heal from his hurt: his wife's final words save their lives. Through tears, "Yeah, baby...I think someone did." Intense, well-structured, with intense use of suggestion that is "open book," this film will draw you in and have loving and cheering for this family. No matter your your personal background. ------------ About the author: Phoenix Morric is a published poet, working on first novel and has some ezine articles/reviews up to peruse. Currently she is working on her first novel and shopping for an agent. All queries, comments, please direct to: PMorric88@msn.com. Serious only, please. http://profiles.myspace.com/users/7934995 is also a site with my poetry and an interview of The Indigo Girls I recently did in July. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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