Signs (2002)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

M. Night Shyamalan

Writer (WGA):

M. Night Shyamalan (written by)

Release Date:

2 August 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

It's Not Like They Didn't Warn Us.

Plot:

A family living on a farm finds mysterious crop circles in their fields which suggests something more frightening to come.

Plot Keywords:

Crop Circle | Farm | Pennsylvania | Water | Alien

Awards:

2 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Rev. Graham Hess
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Merrill Hess
Rory Culkin	...	Morgan Hess
Abigail Breslin	...	Bo Hess
Cherry Jones	...	Officer Paski
M. Night Shyamalan	...	Ray Reddy
Patricia Kalember	...	Colleen Hess
Ted Sutton	...	SFC Cunningham
Merritt Wever	...	Tracey Abernathy, the Pharmacist
Lanny Flaherty	...	Mr. Nathan
Marion McCorry	...	Mrs. Nathan
Michael Showalter	...	Lionel Prichard
Kevin Pires	...	Brazilian Birthday Boy
Clifford David	...	Columbia University Professor
Rhonda Overby	...	Sarah Hughes

Also Known As:

M. Night Shyamalan's Signs (USA) (promotional title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some frightening moments.

Runtime:

106 min | Spain:108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Portuguese

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX | SDDS | DTS-ES

Certification:

Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:12 | South Korea:12 | Germany:12 (f) | Japan:U | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Austria:14 | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Ireland:12 (video rating) | Ireland:15PG (original rating) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12A (original rating) | UK:12 (video rating) (2003) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39105) | Venezuela:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

M. Night Shyamalan insisted that the film posters be released without showing Mel Gibson's face, as it is an ensemble piece, and that it didn't refer to The Sixth Sense (1999), as it's an entirely different movie.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: As Graham takes Bo inside, after Houdini has died, they meet Merrill on the way into the house. As Bo mutters "Houdini's sick", the shadow of a boom mic can be seen traveling across Merrill's shirt and face.

Quotes:

Graham Hess: That's why he had asthma. It can't be luck. His lungs were closed. His lungs were closed. No poison got in. No poison got in. His lungs were closed. His lungs were closed.
[Merrill checks for a pulse]
Graham Hess: Don't touch him. Give him a minute.
[Merrill starts crying]
Merrill: Graham...
Graham Hess: Give him a second.
Bo: Daddy...
Graham Hess: Don't touch him.
Merrill: Graham...
Graham Hess: Don't... Don't.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)

A Ride to Remember

I am a huge Shyamalan fan: I loved "The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable." I can now add "Signs" to the list, and not just because it's one of his films. It's because it portrays its story and characters in a way that won't let me forget them. This particular film has all of the essential elements: humor, adventure, suspense and most of all, soul. The family element (as in all three of the above mentioned films) is so strong it made me want to hug my kids and get on my knees and talk to God. It rekindled my faith in God, family, mankind and in good films. Awesome.