Signs Critic Reviews

For filmgoers whose idea of a good time is getting the stuffing scared out of them (who are you guys, anyway?), Signs should prove to be time well spent.Read the full review

Mr. Shyamalan never gives us anything to believe in, other than his own power to solve problems of his own posing, and his command of a narrative logic is as circular -- and as empty -- as those bare patches out in the cornfield.Read the full review

As a scare picture, Signs is good enough. As a religious parable, it's scarier -- and I don't mean that as a compliment.Read the full review

Even though he shows some master touches throughout the movie, Shyamalan flits a little too lightly across the surface, like a pond skater.Read the full review

By limiting the number of special effects shots and treating the film more like a horror movie than a science fiction spectacle, Shyamalan creates a claustrophobic atmosphere and keeps the tension level high. There were times during this film when I was strongly reminded of "Panic Room."Read the full review

Shyamalan's great gift is the creation of atmosphere, the conjuring of spooky, unseen menace. When he gets around to doing this in Signs, all is well, but it's a tossup as to whether the film offers enough of a payoff considering how long it takes to get where it's going.Read the full review

Promised to be the season's thoughtful action picture, turns out to have few thoughts and no thrills.Read the full review

The movie keeps you watching and, at times, even gripped for more than an hour. But, at the end, it leaves us feeling detached and underwhelmed.Read the full review

Mr. Shyamalan is a new national treasure, as attuned to our sensibilities and everyday life as Steven Spielberg.Read the full review