What parents need to know
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this movie has extreme tension and peril, though it's not graphic or gory. Some viewers will find it very scary. Some will be comforted by its ultimate conclusion, but others will find it disappointing, even sugary or superficial. They might even be offended at its deterministic take on things.
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What's the story?
Writer/producer/director M. Night Shyamalan's latest is a story of a crisis of faith, a wise child, and something out there that is very, very disturbing but ultimately part of a pattern that supports and embraces all of us. Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) is, a recent widower who lives with his two children and his brother (Joaquin Phoenix) on a farm in Pennsylvania. He had been a minister, but lost his faith when his wife was killed. He wakes up one night with a sense of dread. His children are not in bed. He runs out into the cornfield and his children show him that the stalks have been bent into a mysterious pattern. It can't have been made by a machine, because the stalks are not broken. And it can't have been done by hand, because the shapes are too perfectly even. It turns out that the strange signs have appeared all over the world. Graham wants to believe that the shapes are a prank or a hoax. He cannot bear the thought that his family could be vulnerable to more injury or loss.
Is it any good?
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Gibson is outstanding in a role that calls for subtlety, maturity, and a mixture of vulnerability and strength. The children, played by Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin, are just right. They act like smart kids who know what loss is and are scared but also tantalized by what is going on around them.
Shyamalan's skills as a director are getting stronger and stronger. His use of the camera to tell the story is masterful. There is a moment when the screen goes completely black that had the audience gasping. He has clearly been paying attention to Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg, and has a few tricks of his own to contribute. His only mistake is in leaving too little to the imagination. Like his characters, he likes to have everything explained.
Families can talk about...
Families can talk about whether they see patterns and purpose in what occurs around them and what it means to them. Where do people find their faith? What kind of person says that it doesn't feel right not to swing? They might also want to look at websites like this one and this one to find out more about efforts to contact life on other planets.
Movie details
| Theatrical release date: | August 2, 2002 |
| DVD release date: | January 7, 2003 |
| Cast: | Joaquin Phoenix, Mel Gibson, Rory Culkin |
| Director: | M. Night Shyamalan |
| Studio: | Touchstone Pictures |
| Genre: | Thriller |
| Run time: | 106 minutes |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | scariness |
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Waiting till they're older
I thought this was a great movie, but a little scary for kids.
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good but scary
extremely good movie but still very scary
What other families should know
Too much violence
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Suspenseful Alien Flick
Mel Gibson has always been somewhat of an acting idol to me, and he fails to disappoint me in this movie. The fact that he made the father seem so real amazes me -- not many actors could pull off his part as beautifully as he did.
However, Gibson isn't the only genius in this work of art. Shyamalan has created a strangely touching alien flick in which I thought to be virtually impossible. Brilliantly portrayed through series of brilliant actors, he has really outdone himself this time with the release of Signs.
Both smart and intriguing, this must be the best of all movies relating to extra terrestrials I have ever seen. The scariest asset of all in this movie is the unknown; you can never quite tell what is around the corner and what it's all about, making it a most enjoyable experience.
A message to parents: This isn't violent or as bad as some younger children around here are trying to tell you it is; most are not allowed to see anything above this age level and are trying to seem cool. The language is moderately coarse, yet it never gets out of hand. It's nothing your child/children don't hear in public or at school. This may give your child/children nightmares or scare them, so I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under eleven or twelve, as there are a few disturbing scenes such as two kids finding the corpse of a dog with a grill fork lodged in its neck. (not bloody or too disturbing)
A message to kids: If you are sensitive to death or have had certain horrors in your past such as witnessing someone you love die or are frightened by many things, I would recommend waiting until you are older to view this film. It will not give you comfort and it will not bring warmth to you, only an odd feeling of insecurity and suspense.
Suggested MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for Language, Thematic Elements, Scary Situations and Some Disturbing Images.
