65. Signs (2002) - Dir. M. Night Shyamalan
Often times, when I hear people talk about Signs, I hear them disparage the alien invasion plot, and the improbability that an advance alien race would set out to conquer a planet so covered with their one weakness - water. I must concede that if one looks at Signs on the surface, as only a science-fiction film about an alien invasion, then, yes, it is pretty silly. However, I prefer to look at the science-fiction aspect as only one element of a much grander theme, one that is important to M. Night Shyamalan, and one that is important to me. And that is, faith.
Signs is, ultimately, about spiritual faith. It is about a man's intensely personal spiritual journey, and his relationship with God (I am referencing the Christian God here because of my own spiritual belief and that of the character in the film) and his family. It is about the lengths God will go to bring one of his loved ones back into the fold, back into his embrace. Signs also shows that there are no coincidences. That things happens, tragic and wonderful, according to a plan out of our control is the way of the universe, it is the way God works, and to accept this notion unearths peace and understanding.
After his wife dies, Reverend Graham is left to care for his two young children, Bo, a young girl afraid of contaminated water, and Morgan, his son who suffers from debilitating asthma. Graham's younger brother, a pro-baseball wannabe, Merrill, is also staying with the family. His wife's death has left a dark spot on Graham's heart. He no longer sees the point to believing in God, and his is on the verge of completely giving up his spiritual walk. The discoloration of a wall in Graham's house marks the spot where a cross once hung, and we must assume that he tore it down in a symbolic gesture. Seen through Graham's eyes, there doesn't seem to be much good left in the world, and it is through an increasingly strange set of circumstances that his eyes are once again opened to the possibilities of healthy religiosity.
To a Christian, that God's signs are all around to be witnessed day in and day out is a significant thing. I see Gods handiwork in everything, the “Biologos” as it were (a concept coined by Dr. Francis S. Collins of the Human Genome Project). All of nature and science, in all of their capacity; every tiny atom and molecule; all of the proteins and enzymes that make up all the stuff; all of these things are nothing but the verbs, nouns, adverbs, and adjectives that form the language of God, the language that God used to compose this “Cosmic Fugue,” to borrow a phrase so eloquently spoken by the late Carl Sagan. These are the signs that point me in my spiritual walk.
However, when things turn towards the worst, these signs become harder, almost impossible, to see. Sometimes we need a great big sign, a slap in the face so to speak. This is exactly what Graham receives in this film, and it is delivered masterfully by Shyamalan. Signs is executed like a finely composed piece of music. Its momentum escalates as the narrative works through each consecutive movement, building, in tension, with layers of emotion, mystery, primal fear, discovery, drama, and, finally, a great orgasmic release - joy!
Mel Gibson's performance is perfectly in sync with the film's composition, and he uses his wonderful, expressive face and voice to deliver what I consider to be his best performance. Shyamalan is a great director of actors, and his ability to mold and kneed their performances is something I admire greatly.
In most of his films, Shyamalan is able to tap into something in each and every actor he works with, and in Signs, every character rings with authenticity.
Signs is full of maturity and nuance. After each subsequent viewing, I tend to notice new little details; objects placed in the backgrounds; a character's subtle reaction; a perfectly timed musical cue; the way Shyamalan stages and frames each shot. In everything, there is a a rhyme and a reason, the film is made with cohesion and a genuine sense of purpose. So while others may disparage the film for its absurd alien-invasion premise, I tend to look at things from a completely different angle.
I see everything in this film as working towards the ultimate theme of its narrative. Each little detail, each question, every answer, every moment, is there to push Graham one step closer to his final destination. His goal, or purpose, is not to defeat the aliens; the aliens are nothing but another sign, another beacon or arrow pointing ahead. No, Graham's purpose is something much more important, and more meaningful - his purpose is to rediscover his faith and spirituality, to regain his footing, and follow the signs back to God. And in the final shot of the film, we see Graham, a man of the cloth, with a depiction of a cross on his bedroom door behind him. In this image, the film's powerful narrative is solidified with concrete language.
