Amazon.co.uk Review
Director-writer M Night Shyamalan brings his distinctive, oblique approach to aliens in Signs after tackling ghosts (The Sixth Sense) and superheroes (Unbreakable). With Mel Gibson replacing Bruce Willis as the traditional Shyamalan hero--a family man traumatised by loss--and leaving urban Philadelphia for the Pennsylvania sticks, the film starts with crop circles showing up on the property Gibson shares with his ex-ballplayer brother (Joaquin Phoenix) and his two troubled pre-teen kids (pay attention--all these character quirks turn out to be important). Though the world outside is undergoing a crisis of Independence Day-sized proportions, Shyamalan limits the focus to this family, who retreat into their cellar when "intruders" arrive from lights in the sky and set out to "harvest" them.
Just as Unbreakable slowly revealed itself to be Superman re-thought as an intense personal drama, this is The Birds redone as a religious drama of faith lost and perhaps regained. The tone is less certain than the earlier films--some of the laughs seem unintentional and Gibson's performance isn't quite on a level with Willis's commitment--but Shyamalan still directs the suspense and shock dramas better than anyone else.
On the DVD: Signs has THX-certified Dolby Digital Surround Sound which reproduces in the home exactly as the scary sounds that creeped you out in the cinema. A selection of deleted scenes are mostly tiny, but there's a self-reflexive joke (wisely dropped but worth preserving) as Gibson wishes his dead wife were here in the crisis because she was so smart: "She always knew how movies would end." A six-part making-of goes deeper than the usual puff-piece, including an interesting alternative to a commentary track as Shyamalan talks through a précis of clips and on-set snippets. A tradition continued from the Sixth Sense and Unbreakable DVDs is an extract from Pictures, "Night's first alien film". It's a teenage camcorder effort in which the future A-list Hollywoodian is menaced by a tiny Halloween-masked robot. Also included are a "multi-angle storyboards" feature, subtitles in a clutch of languages and eerie menu screens. --Kim Newman
Customer Reviews:
You either love it or you hate it .......2008-01-19
ok here it is... this is a great movie even if you dont believe in extraterrestrials because even though this movie is about aliens there is so much more to the plot then that. It's also about regaining lost belief in something that grips your life. Mel Gibson i must admit im not that fond of him, but you have to hand it to the guy he can act! he plays a widowed priest that loses faith from a freak accident on his wife, left with 2 young children he struggles to keep his composure on life. But facing an epic struggle of survival the bonds tying both the relationship of him and his children and the willingless to regain his lost faith in christianity grow stronger, as he realises all things in the world are not as bad as they seemed before.
Not bad for my first attempt.......2007-11-18
This is the first of his films I've seen. It was pretty good, plenty of very well thought out reviews on these pages bear this out, but......I could'nt help thinking it was a little drawn out - when we could have "cut to the chase' a lot sooner.
But hey, I'm no director or screenplay writer, and it's got some beautiful filming, some wonderful "mid-west" type scenery and atmosphere, small town America, priests who have fallen from their faith, and a pretty cranky and downright nasty e.t. .......!
Great fun, not on my "A" list though.
M. Night Shyamalan not quite Hitchcock, but quite good none the less.......2007-09-26
With M. Night Shyamalan's third major studio release as director, he once again proves that he may just be heir to the Hitchcock throne of suspense. Do not think I am comparing him to the level of Hitchcock as a film maker, because Shyamalan still has a long way to go to achieve that goal. However, of the film makers today you'd be hard pressed to find a director who could produce such a suspenseful film on such minimalist methods.
Hollywood's mentality has long been the bigger the explosion the bigger the return, and in an age of special effects and showing off what they can do on the computer (take note, George Lucas), Shyamalan bypasses all that and harkens back to a time when the most important thing was the story. Shyamalan constructs the film around the history and idiosyncracies of the family using everyday things such as half-filled glasses, a baby monitor, and other like things. When Spielberg directed Jaws, he learned that by not showing the shark that much made the film much more effective. In a time when we have the specials effects to envision anything you could possibly dream, this film aptly illustrates that just because you have the technology it doesn't mean you have to use it to tell a good story. The old adage of "less is more" fits wonderfully here. A wonderful example that incorporates technology without sacrificing the story or characters is Minority Report.
What is so remarkable about Signs' plot? It's the fact that the characters exist in their own right and never feel like just plot devices or mouthpieces. Mel Gibson plays an apostate preacher suddenly has to handle the fact that crop circles are appearing in his corn field. Simultaneously, all across the globe crop circles are, shall we say, cropping up. His children (Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin) and his brother (Joaquin Phoenix from Gladiator) begin believing in the aliens, and try as he might Gibson's character realizes that these crop circles won't just go away. The movie then moves to the question is are these alien formations, and if so what are they used for? If there are aliens, are they hostile or not? What do they want with Earth?
Because Shyamalan always makes sure the Gibson's character and his family are in the forefront, the viewer becomes involved with them as individual characters to the point where the aliens are more events anything else. More and more scripts have characters taking backseat to the special effects and this is sapping the film industry of vitality. In Signs, when Morgan (the son) has his asthma attack during an assault on the house, we are much more concerned with what effect it would have on the family if they lost him, instead of it being some cheap and lowbrow ploy that is more of a plot device than a character study (Panic Room anyone?).
One of the key themes in Signs is faith. This film deals with the anger that Gibson's character feels toward God and how he must work through that throughout life's circumstances. Shyamalan's character (yes, he acts) is responsible for Gibson losing his faith. The film traces Gibson's progression of losing his faith and then struggling with God over losing his wife. This is illustrated ingeniously in the film's climax.
While my faith in God hasn't left me, my faith in Hollywood has long since evaporated. With directors such as Shyamalan still on the go-around, I find it getting a little stronger everyday.
August 28, 2002
OKAY FILM.......2007-09-26
Not destined for classic status but not a bad watch.
Aliens have landed and decided to use Mel Gibson's cornfields as a sketch pad. Fleeting glances (quite spooky night scenes in the film) are made by Gibson as he investigates these strange goings-on. The images in the corn seem to have darker meaning, not for the purpose of communicating with humans. If an alien has enough technology to actually fly to another planet, i wondered why they couldn't develop a radio of some sort.
The aliens are finally public knowledge, with ships hovering above some cities and the Gibson family pull down the shutters as nasty aliens try to enter their farmhouse. I never quite twigged what the aliens want during their seige, are we food or do they just dislike us, you never find out.
The film is a little slow in parts but there are good scenes there to enjoy. The storyline is a bit vague, but see how you go, i may be thick !!
Very scary!.......2007-09-01
This is a thriller and had me hiding behind my pillow for most of the film.
STD
Amazon.co.uk Review
Described by director Mark Pellington as "a psychological mystery with naturally surreal overtones", The Mothman Prophecies begins like an ambitious episode of The X-Files. Richard Gere brings adequate torment, portent, and ambiguity to his role as a Washington Post reporter and grieving widower plagued by a mysterious, unseen urban legend known as the Mothman. Pellington develops subtle doom and gloom that's as effective as the paranoid streak he brought to Arlington Road. As the Mothman terrifies a West Virginia town, he remains an enigma, glimpsed almost subliminally. This--along with a magnificently creepy soundtrack--amplifies the movie's surreal overtones while keeping everything else (unsettling phone calls, prophesied disasters, suggestions of the afterlife) completely unexplained. With Laura Linney and Debra Messing in underdeveloped roles, The Mothman Prophecies feels a bit underdeveloped itself (and ends in desperate need of Mulder and Scully). But if you like your weirdness open-ended, this moody thriller's worth a look. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
A real chiller!.......2008-01-25
I can't remember the last film that actually gave me a chill down the spine. This one certainly did! Having read other reviews, I can't understand why some people want explanations to every happening in the film. You don't need to know! As the viewer you find yourself as dumbfounded as Richard Gere's character - John Klein, the reporter who from the the start hasn't got a clue why he is in Point Pleasant and how it has been physically possible to have got there. As the plot unfolds it gets more and more frightening as it seems that something pretty disastrous is going to happen there and it could be that John Klein is going to die. He teams up with local police woman Connie who tells him of the strange happenings that have gone on in the town and a strange dream that she has had. With a few twists and turns on the way, the suspense builds right to the end when all is revealed. A very good psychological thriller.
An eerily, excellent film!.......2007-01-28
The uneasiness this film precipitates in the viewer is quite enjoyably disturbing! One cannot ascertain if the the forces at work within the story are benign or malignant and this adds to the stress it induces! If you're a fan of 'shock and gore' horror then this film is NOT for you. This is a film that stays with you long after it is over and has one ruminating about the idea of what the Mothman represents
I thoroughly recommend this DVD if you enjoy intellectually-driven horror!
an average movie? yes... but creepy? I don't think so..........2006-08-01
I was a little skeptical about this movie. Then, I rented it not expecting much at all. After the first 30 minutes, I realized that I was absolutely right. The beginning movie is quite good, but with its confusing plot full of huge holes, it goes nowhere. Everything that happened after the first half an hour was totally predictable, boring and dull. The end of the film is open-ended and produces no plausible outcome.
The Mothman Prophecies is only an effective relief, if you have trouble to fall into asleep or have a maniacal pleasure to torture yourself by killing 2-hours in front of TV for nothing.
Last word: possible the most boring film I've ever had to sit through...
Moody, atmospheric and creepy.......2005-12-12
Other reviewers have covered the plot sufficiently already, so I won't repeat that all over again. However suffice to say I was surprised how scary this film was - I'm a great fan of horror films, and though this has no guts and gore like many do, it has a truly sinister atmosphere. Some of the scenes are particularly good - e.g. did we just see a glimpse of his dead wife there, or didn't we - rewind! The eerie response the protagonist gets from the occupants of a house when he turns up in the middle of the night having broken down outside ... and when the 'phone rings towards the end of the film and he has to decide whether or not to answer it, knowing who it might be. All very eerily done, and I have to say that as someone who's not a uaual fan of Gere, I thought he was excellent in this.
Want a good nights sleep? Watch this film!.......2005-12-10
I'll put this simply. I have tried to watch this film three times. Every time I have fallen asleep midway through. The only other film this happens with is The Gift.
Dull.
Amazon.co.uk Review
Described by director Mark Pellington as "a psychological mystery with naturally surreal overtones", The Mothman Prophecies begins like an ambitious episode of The X-Files. Richard Gere brings adequate torment, portent, and ambiguity to his role as a Washington Post reporter and grieving widower plagued by a mysterious, unseen urban legend known as the Mothman. Pellington develops subtle doom and gloom that's as effective as the paranoid streak he brought to Arlington Road. As the Mothman terrifies a West Virginia town, he remains an enigma, glimpsed almost subliminally. This--along with a magnificently creepy soundtrack--amplifies the movie's surreal overtones while keeping everything else (unsettling phone calls, prophesied disasters, suggestions of the afterlife) completely unexplained. With Laura Linney and Debra Messing in underdeveloped roles, The Mothman Prophecies feels a bit underdeveloped itself (and ends in desperate need of Mulder and Scully). But if you like your weirdness open-ended, this moody thriller's worth a look. --Jeff Shannon
Customer Reviews:
A real chiller!.......2008-01-25
I can't remember the last film that actually gave me a chill down the spine. This one certainly did! Having read other reviews, I can't understand why some people want explanations to every happening in the film. You don't need to know! As the viewer you find yourself as dumbfounded as Richard Gere's character - John Klein, the reporter who from the the start hasn't got a clue why he is in Point Pleasant and how it has been physically possible to have got there. As the plot unfolds it gets more and more frightening as it seems that something pretty disastrous is going to happen there and it could be that John Klein is going to die. He teams up with local police woman Connie who tells him of the strange happenings that have gone on in the town and a strange dream that she has had. With a few twists and turns on the way, the suspense builds right to the end when all is revealed. A very good psychological thriller.
An eerily, excellent film!.......2007-01-28
The uneasiness this film precipitates in the viewer is quite enjoyably disturbing! One cannot ascertain if the the forces at work within the story are benign or malignant and this adds to the stress it induces! If you're a fan of 'shock and gore' horror then this film is NOT for you. This is a film that stays with you long after it is over and has one ruminating about the idea of what the Mothman represents
I thoroughly recommend this DVD if you enjoy intellectually-driven horror!
an average movie? yes... but creepy? I don't think so..........2006-08-01
I was a little skeptical about this movie. Then, I rented it not expecting much at all. After the first 30 minutes, I realized that I was absolutely right. The beginning movie is quite good, but with its confusing plot full of huge holes, it goes nowhere. Everything that happened after the first half an hour was totally predictable, boring and dull. The end of the film is open-ended and produces no plausible outcome.
The Mothman Prophecies is only an effective relief, if you have trouble to fall into asleep or have a maniacal pleasure to torture yourself by killing 2-hours in front of TV for nothing.
Last word: possible the most boring film I've ever had to sit through...
Moody, atmospheric and creepy.......2005-12-12
Other reviewers have covered the plot sufficiently already, so I won't repeat that all over again. However suffice to say I was surprised how scary this film was - I'm a great fan of horror films, and though this has no guts and gore like many do, it has a truly sinister atmosphere. Some of the scenes are particularly good - e.g. did we just see a glimpse of his dead wife there, or didn't we - rewind! The eerie response the protagonist gets from the occupants of a house when he turns up in the middle of the night having broken down outside ... and when the 'phone rings towards the end of the film and he has to decide whether or not to answer it, knowing who it might be. All very eerily done, and I have to say that as someone who's not a uaual fan of Gere, I thought he was excellent in this.
Want a good nights sleep? Watch this film!.......2005-12-10
I'll put this simply. I have tried to watch this film three times. Every time I have fallen asleep midway through. The only other film this happens with is The Gift.
Dull.
Customer Reviews:
disney should have had more faith in this movie.......2003-12-12
Now this dvd was direct to video, and i know what you're thinking, any film which is direct to video was too bad to release to theatres, but let me explain.
This film was only direct to video in this country because disney didn't have enough faith in it because they thought it was too american. it was released to cinemas in the states and did reasonably well.
The story is based upon the attraction at disneyland and has captured it warmth perfectly, the story is nice and homely and there are some parts which are icredibly slapstick but not in cringe making sort of way, this movie is very reminiscent of childhood, and it seems as if this film has been around for ages because the story is so easy and slmost familiar, it's like one of the films they show at christmas and you watch evry year and they never lose their magic.
the story revolves around an old bear rock group who parted and have grown old. but one little bear still loves their music and sets out on a mission to reunite them for one last time, filled with great songs and even a cameo appearance by Elton John Country Bears is bound to get you tapping your feet.
the dvd is also crammed full of bonus features and many of them i'm glad to say didn't appear on the U.S. version.
we may have misse dout on this being released in cinemas but catch it now.
UK DVD:
- K-19: The Widowmaker [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Kill Bill Vol. 2 [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- La Celestina [1996] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- L'Appartement [1997]
- Last of the Dogmen [1996] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Life In Cold Blood
- Little Fish [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Live and Let Die [1973] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- Losing Control [1997]
- Love From a Stranger [1937] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
UK DVD List
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