The International Writers Magazine: Reviews

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‘Signs’ (2002) Director: M Night Shyamalan • Liz Barlow It was at the often difficult age of sixteen that I first saw the film ‘Signs.’ Advertised as a sci-fi thriller from the writer and director of ‘The Sixth Sense’ and ‘Unbreakable,’ this film seems on the surface, nothing more than your average alien invasion film upon middle America. However, this film offered more than this to me, in it’s messages and perhaps even in it’s motives, and as a direct result of watching this movie, the next day I did something that I never thought I would willingly do again – I went to Church.

The plot is generally based around Graham Hess (Mel Gibson) and his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix) who find themselves at the centre of an alien invasion. The film then follows their reactions, and rationalisations while flashbacks reveal how there have been signs telling them how to battle and how to cope.

There are many things that I could relate to in this film, predominantly Graham’s struggle with faith. His wife’s death had caused him to resign from his post as a Vicar and reject God. I, like many others, have lost people and experienced things that made me question ‘where was God when this happened?’ Even Merrill’s humorous take on the matter made me ponder questions, so this film did well to reach out to the individual. More than this, the characters seemed real, they weren’t superheroes or G.I Joes out to save the world; they reacted how I might react and they showed fear and vulnerability, and perhaps this is what made me so suggestible to it’s messages on faith.

In an era when religion seems to be the cause of war and conflict, and more people than ever are claiming atheism (or, when pushed, Jedi Knightism) it is easy to imagine how many stuffy clerics are trying to make religion ‘hip’ and ‘trendy.’ Could it be then, that this was Shyamalan’s attempt at ‘spreading the word?’ What better way to do this than in a Hollywood blockbuster with an all-star cast and a plot that loosely revolves around crop circles – if people could be susceptible to the idea of aliens landing who prey on Asthmatic little boys on farms, then surely, if it is neatly tied in, audiences could then be suggestible to the concept of God, faith and even His Holy Plan. An ideal combination, though I’m not sure those clerics will be pleased about being put in the same group as alien believers.

So, the next day (a Sunday), I got up early and went to Church, though it was difficult to pinpoint why exactly. Perhaps it was the old Catholic guilt? Maybe I really did want to believe? More than likely though, it was the ‘just-in-case’ get out clause I adopted. Even so, I went that day with idealistic, even romantic ideas that I would find an ecstatic fulfilment that I belonged.

Of course everything changed when I got there. The only thing I was fulfilled with was the memory of why I decided it was not for me. The soulless priest, the monotone chanting of prayers and the happy clapper hymns did indeed enlighten me though- I did not belong here and I couldn’t wait to get out.
This film though, planted those first seeds of thought, which had I nurtured them, may have grown into something bigger. And here was me thinking I could make up my own mind.

© Liz Barlow November 2006

Liz Barlow is studying Creative Writing at the University of Portsmouth
 
 
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