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130 out of 170 people found the following review useful: 21st Century paranoia horror at its very best..., 24 August 2007 Author: AvidHorrorFan from Herts, England
From time to time, I stumble across movies that I know nothing about, and under normal circumstances probably wouldn't be that inclined to see. Even as an avid horror buff, low budget titles like this tend to slip through the net usually simply due to their lack of big name distribution.Let's hope that with "The Signal" however, this doesn't happen.Why? Because this movie is powerful, thoughtful and downright terrifying in its execution.The movie opens with a young couple, Mya and Ben, in a tryst where it soon becomes apparent that Mya is married but very much not in love with her husband, Lewis.Suddenly the TV is blasted on, transmitting a noisy psychedelic signal which is echoed throughout every other media form from radio to mobile phones.Mya leaves Ben to return home to her husband only to find everyone going crazy... possibly even her own husband. Thrown into a violent and chaotic world, the story focuses on the three of them and the truth about their intertwining relationship as the city of Terminus literally goes to hell around them.The film's three directors each take on board a different aspect of the overlapping narrative, with the running time evenly divided into 3 parts. Transmission 1 examines the initial outbreak and its effects on the main protagonists. Transmission 2 looks at the ensuing madness from the perspective of one of the afflicted (a very creepy concept which is notoriously tough to execute, but is worked to almost perfection here), and laces it with more than just a smattering of very black humour. Transmission 3 ties up the loose ends of the plot and weaves them all together in order that all main characters collide in a chaotic but much needed denouement.Brutal, dark and completely absorbing, this grainy DV effort is always believable and therein lies its power. In a society where media has taken over every facet of our lives, technology is rife for abuse, and this movie exploits that paranoia to great dividends.This original chiller is the American equivalent of "28 Days Later" mixed with Romero's "The Crazies" via Stephen King's novel "Cell".Some visual and plot aspects may have suffered due to budgetary constraints, but therein also lies its charm."The Signal" will surprise, thrill and terrify. In short, another example of modern horror at its brutal and most thoughtful best.
47 out of 71 people found the following review useful: beauty in blood, 11 March 2008 Author: fgoworderup from United States
Independent films have always been enjoyable to watch for me because they normally show the real side of things, but, that not being the point of emphasis in The Signal (hah) I was nervous about seeing it, especially because I wasn't sure about the three different genres mixed. But man, was I surprised! The three genres of: Section 1: Horror. Section 2: Dark Comedy. Section 3: Science Fictions, were done by three different directors not making contact with one another after they had written the script and began filming. None the less, with the fantastic and willing cast, and the offset music that plays once in a while, these three men who wrote and directed, and I believe one helped produce, create a masterpiece that will be a cult legend forever as well as a movie everyone should see. BOTTOM LINE: The smoothness of three completely different genres surprises and amazes to bring one of the most enjoyable and momentous time at the movies this year.
80 out of 137 people found the following review useful: sometimes it just takes time, 19 December 2007 Author: swayrevolt from United States
After watching this movie the other night I walked out feeling like I just watched a solid horror movie. but the more I talked about it with friends and discussed it with other horror buffs, the more I realized how much I love this film! It has all the ingredients of an instant horror classic and never gets cliché. The first and last segment feel very similar but only because the middle (funny chapter) is starkly different. This just makes for a movie that ends where the audience was first captured, which is great!Oh and did I mention it was original, not overproduced, well-written and never leaves you thinking "ah they should have done it this way." GREAT Movie, so refreshing.
43 out of 74 people found the following review useful: Fantastic Horror Film All The Way!, 20 February 2008 Author: The_Keego from United States
This movie was definitely an amazing find. I received tickets online to go to a showing at the local Magnolia theater, which only shows Indie films. It was definitely worth driving through an hour and a half of traffic to see this film. The movie turns to three different directions but keeps the plot on track most of the time. It's by three different directors who all have their own styles that work for this film. The first segment, the director does a great job introducing us to the characters and setting up the universe for us. the second director has a hilarious sense of humor that definitely show us the "Crazy" in these crazy people, and almost makes us sympathize with these killers. And the third director brings us back to the action, and takes the audience down a winding and twisting crooked road that doesn't stop until the credits start. I was so glad to hear that this was getting a national release and I hope that people will go see this and experience a truly terrifying, but surprisingly humorous, scary movie.Kego
26 out of 42 people found the following review useful: Obviously, the Work of a Diabolical Genius, or Three!, 27 February 2008 Author: (info@spinetinglers.co.uk) from United Kingdom
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
On New Year's Eve 2007, regular programming has been indefinitely interrupted.A signal is being transmitted to every TV, cell phone, and radio. This transmission has a powerful effect on anyone who watches it or listens to it. It strips away self-control, plays on your paranoia, and makes even the most brutal of murders appear rational. Three people--a wife, a husband and a lover--all deal with this feral disorder in three, very different ways. This film brilliantly and brutally tells each of their stories. After the various transmissions of The Signal, chaos, murder, and mayhem ensue. Usually, when you are about to watch a low-budget horror movie, your excited anticipation at watching a new horror flick is very often marred by a bit of dread. Almost invariably, the viewer is going to have to overlook bad acting, stilted dialogue, and clichéd plot twists. Unfortunately, these pitfalls have come to be synonymous with moderately-financed movies. Having said this, now and again, a movie comes along which changes your mind about low-budget film-making. The Signal is one such movie, the acting is superb, the writing is innovative and compelling, and the dialogue delivers many a quotable line: "Do you have 'the Crazy?'" Transmission 1 – Crazy in Love, directed by David Bruckner. This part of the film tells us the story of Mya, the wife, and her story becomes, by far, the darkest part of the tale. This section is shot in such a way that it has a voyeuristic quality to it. The viewer does not feel as if they are watching a film, but rather, that they are observing Mya, as the initial effects of The Signal are startlingly revealed."You're not my husband, you're a homicidal maniac." Transmission 2 – Jealousy Monster, directed by Jacob Gentry. This is the most surreal part of the film, as we see the world through Lewis's eyes. Of course, he is the jealous husband and is most obviously affected by The Signal. Gentry's transcendent use of nonlinear storytelling, along with his dark humour, gives us a gruesome glimpse into the mind of a maniac. And, even though Lewis has a habit of killing people by battering them to death with a fire extinguisher, you do, kinda, feel for the guy."You are aware that you are having a conversation with a decapitated head." Transmission 3 – Escape from Terminus, directed by Dan Bush. And, finally, there is Dan's story, aka the Lover. In the final transmission, the line between good and evil becomes the most blurred that it has been since the start of the film. This epilogue hammers the message home, that no one is safe from The Signal. Viewers find themselves asking, "Who is the bad guy, who is the husband, who is the lover, who is dead, and who is alive? To all these questions, there is no definitive answer. The optimists among us will interpret the ending as a "love conquers all, kind-of," deal. And, cynics will view it as just the beginning of the last, great apocalypse, one in which man's inherent fears and paranoias, with a little help from some malevolent technology, will destroy all humankind. Transmission 3 is a very suitable, ambiguous ending to a first-rate horror film.Each transmission has a very different style, and some viewers may think this adds up to a disjointed narrative. However, I wholeheartedly disagree with this conclusion. As each story is told from a different perspective, it makes sense that the filmmakers should employ different techniques to portray their characters' personalities and varying descents into madness. The Signal is the most original, thought-provoking horror movie of the past decade. This film is wickedly witty and pleasingly perverse. Its writers and directors are very adept at their craft, and this film is a shining example of its genre, regardless of budget. In short, The Signal is a sublime example of film-making and is worthy of major distribution.
19 out of 31 people found the following review useful: A Low Budget Visionary MASTERPIECE!!!, 13 June 2008 Author: flyroundee from Canada
I rented this flick hearing rumors it was good, damn was that an understatement. This movie was mind-blowing. Being an indie filmmaker myself, I was amazed at the simple creativity, style and thought that went into this gem. Being written and directed by three individuals had me a little skeptical, but it definitely worked in their favour.First off, the begginning of the film got my attention right off the bat, It was quick, stylish and bold. The following first sequence was just as striking. It moved with lightening pace and with intensity. The middle section added some great dead-pan humour, that I found myself laughing out loud at, then literally jumping back into suspense and intensity. The last third of the film, rounded the story out in a realistic and grim style, that also stood out on it's own. I didn't want this movie to end.The characters were very well developed throughout the story, and added to the humour and chills, slipping seamlessly from humorous situations, to the insane and horrific. The fx were excellent and not over used.Overall, I'd have to say the story, though conceived before in other ways, worked soo damn well here because of the way it was brought about by the directors. Kudos to the filmmakers for a very sic, groundbreaking and inspiring piece of work.
30 out of 54 people found the following review useful: Mysterious, tense, gore and, suspense., 14 March 2007 Author: Adfraser from United States
I saw "The Signal" last night at SXSW and it was very good. Somewhat mysterious, lots of tension, lots of suspense. Gore was omnipresent, with everyone wearing some amount of blood splatter by the end of the first act and throughout the rest of the film. This is the first movie, since The Shining, that made me want to cover my eyes for anticipated gruesomeness. I didn't and I'm glad I didn't miss a frame of this compelling story. The eponymous "signal" is an unexplained transmission over TVs, cell phones, radios, etc. that causes the viewer/listener to "get the crazy" and become very violent. The Signal causes people to believe that their murders are "rational", it causes realistic hallucinations and a violent reactions seem to be appropriate. It seemed to allow people to overcome their humanity and act out violent impulsive urges. However, as strange as it may sound, at it's heart, what moves the story forward is love.
10 out of 15 people found the following review useful: Refreshing Horror Tale, 22 February 2009 Author: Claudio Carvalho from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Maya Denton (Anessa Ramsey) has a love affair with her beloved lover Ben (Justin Welborn) that invites her to leave her husband Lewis (AJ Bowen) and Terminus City, meeting him in the Terminal 13 of the local station. Maya decides to go back home and finds a wounded man and his attacker in the parking area nearby Ben's house. When she arrives at home, she sees Lewis discussing with his friends Jerry (Matt Stanton) and Rod (Sahr Nguajah). When Lewis hits Jerry with a baseball bat on the head, Maya runs to the house of her next door neighbor Janice (Suehyla El-Attar) and realizes that the dwellers of her building have gone paranoid and crazy in an outburst of violence and hallucinations through the transmission and waves of television, cell phones and radios, feeling the need to kill."The Signal" is a refreshing horror tale that slightly uses the idea of mass control through television and cellular of "Videodrome" and "Pulse", leaving a message about the brain damage caused by the subtle message of television and excessive use of cellular. The plot is disclosed in three parts: "Transmission I: Crazy in Love", which is scary and the best one; "Transmission II: The Jealousy Monster" that is a boring dark humor comedy that does not work well in the context; and "Transmission III: Escape from Terminus" that returns to the main theme and has a good conclusion. The acting is great and the depressive cinematography gives a special climate to this good story. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): Not Available
15 out of 26 people found the following review useful: Potentially brilliant, disappointingly average., 29 August 2008 Author: halliwelleddie from United Kingdom
I'm confused by the amount of positive reviews this film has got. Did we all watch the same film? I was excited to see 'The Signal' as it contained one of the most face-punchingly brilliant plots I'd ever read about: Busy city, New Years Eve, 'Signal' transmitted through electrical devices sends anyone who hears/sees it batsh*t insane. Can you imagine streets full of maniacs belting the nuts off each other? Fire everywhere? Ransacked buildings and overturned cars? Chaos reigns! If you think that sounds like a decent film, you'd be right. It's called 'Dawn of the Dead.'.Unfortunately, due to either budget constraints or the god-awful decision to have the film in three 'transmissions' by three different writers (who appear to have completely conflicting ideas on what direction the film was taking) 'The Signal' soon becomes an absolute mess. An unhappily married woman (Mya) is convinced to leave her husband and run away with her simple-faced lover, Ben. They plan to meet at the train station at midnight. The 'Signal' is transmitted all over the city just as Mya sets off home to collect her things. When she gets home to her husband, Lewis, he shows signs he has been affected by the signal, most noticeably by beating his friend to death. Mya escapes and the story then turns to Ben, who, realising that everyone appears to have gone a bit cuckoo, goes after her.It is here that everything starts to go wrong with this film. Each writer appears to have a different idea of what 'The Crazy' is, leading to a confusing, unfunny second act which becomes boring after a few minutes. The third act is even worse as it rushes to tie up the obvious loose ends. Some films are mindless, some films try to make a statement – this film attempts both and fails miserably. Its only saving grace is the overused Joy Division track which is played in each 'transmission'. There are no likable characters, and a majority of the dialogue seems clunky and misguided. 'Change the way you look at things, the things you look at will change.' Yes, and until you master your fear, fear will be your master, He who questions training only trains himself at asking questions, etc.The thing that annoys me most about this film is the potential that it had. Like Communism, it looked fantastic on paper. By removing the other 2 contributing writers/directors from this film, it would have made it 3 times better. Worth renting, definitely not worth buying.
21 out of 38 people found the following review useful: This one can wrestle with the best of 'em..., 23 May 2008 Author: mr-64 from Germany
This is suspense and horror at its finest.... I read that some of the viewers find the second transmission to be funny. Not for me, it was madness all over. This movie absorbed me more then any of the latest "zombie" installations. Especially interesting is the fact that everyone gets affected by the signal. Each in his own way (and that's probably what some consider funny). It is not the typical survivors versus evil thing. Everyone fights against his own paranoia here, snapping in and out of reality. Plenty of gore but they do not go over the top with it. Pacing is good, camera is good (no shaky stuff here) and i liked the minimalistic distortion effects. It might be a bit confusing for some to watch, because the storytelling is not straight forward. Lots of jumps between timelines and hallucinations from the protagonists, i loved it. It's like a LSD trip gone wrong...All three directors are on my watchlist now, thanks for this nice piece of work. Any horror buff should try it, this is some solid stuff.Gimme more !!!
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