There's just something creepy about cornfields in the movies. It probably goes back to "Children of the Corn," but "Signs" takes it to a whole new level.
The new thriller starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix is set about an hour outside of Philadelphia on Father Graham Hess' (Gibson's) farm. Things start getting a little strange when Hess' children (don't worry, he a reverend, not a priest) discover crop circles in their cornfield.
From that opening scene, "Signs" is a fast-paced thriller that will actually make you jump in your seat and maybe even let out a scream. It's surprisingly funny in parts, and the suspense is as gripping as any movie made in the past few years.
Strong performances from Gibson, Phoenix, Rory Culkin and the adorable Abigail Breslin add to a beautifully written and directed film by M. Night Shyamalan ("The Sixth Sense.")
Gibson plays a widower who is questioning his faith in the wake of his wife's death in a car accident, while at the same time trying to figure out the crop circles. Phoenix plays his brother Merrill, a former minor league baseball player, who moved back in with Graham after his wife's death.
By watching TV coverage, the four discover that crop circles are being discovered across the world, and eventually UFOs are being spotted in the sky. Aliens are also being sighted on the ground. Before long, the realization hits that the world is being invaded.
This may sound like an age-old premise, and it is, but "Signs" avoids many of the pitfalls into which other similar films fall. The film stays focused on the four characters and their struggles knowing that, where there are crop circles, there's trouble.
The best choice Shyamalan made in this film was not focusing on the aliens visually. Suspense is created not by seeing the shark in the water, but knowing it's out there, somewhere close and out of your control. Thankfully, it appears Shyamalan has seen "Jaws."
In "Signs," the thrills and chills are built up by seeing what these four are going through. Gibson is losing faith while Culkin (Morgan) begins to look up to Phoenix. But they know that in the end, (and that seems like it's fast-approaching at some points), the four only have themselves and a lot of fear to overcome.
But as to not make the film too heavy, there are laugh-out-loud one-liners delivered by every character. Gibson and Phoenix work very well cast as very different brothers who admire each other.
"Signs" is a pleasant surprise in many ways. The plot is simple and effective. It's effortless to make a connection with the characters, and the suspense is first rate. It's a great thriller from a director who is becoming one of the modern masters of suspense.
And be careful if you look too closely at the corn. You may not be alone.
Reach Adam Kress at jtreered@aol.com.
