Signs (Vista Series)
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Features
• Closed-captioned
• Color
• Dolby
• DVD-Video
• Widescreen
• NTSC
In Theaters : 2002
DVD Release : 07 January, 2003 |
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Signs (Vista Series) Customer Reviews
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♥♥♥♥♥ |
More Fulfilling After the Passage of Time
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About once a year, I get an itching to pull out a copy of Signs and watch the movie, although I always approach such temptations with more than a little reservation. The first time I saw the film in the theater, I was not overawed by the production, although it seemed to me to be an acceptable thriller with a bit of a trite "destiny" theme with a very strong cast of main characters. Because of this first lukewarm appreciation which I had for the film, I always have reservation as I pull my copy of Signs off the shelf, afraid that the itching will ultimately end in my dislike of the movie. However, after the third or fourth reviewing - and quite a deal of growing up - I can unequivocally say that Signs is a fantastic movie and believe that I now have the experiential wherewithal to elaborate a bit on why this is my overall impression of the film.
It is perhaps in its weakest point that Signs is most strongly supported for its perpetual enjoyment. That weakness lies in the fact that, on the whole, the film is very "cool" - in the media sense of leaving much to the viewer's interpretation. At first glance, this coolness can appear to be nothing other than laziness on the part of the director and writers of the film. More is accomplished by wisps, shades, and intrigue than by direct dialogue. This open environment is handled a bit clumsily at times, explaining why the film can come off as being nothing more than a trite sci-fi thriller with a twist and a moral. However, a second (and third) viewing of Signs proffers to return to a thriller but instead finds itself to be as enriching of an experience as the first viewing, if not more enriching. The second time around, one realizes that the haziness of details and looseness of plot is the gem at the heart of this film. Upon repeat viewing, I found myself more captivated by the story, perhaps because I was more willing to embrace the film on something of a more existential level.
This overall allowance for an existential appropriation is not found in lofty dialogue or enigmatic phrases. Instead, the film poses the short (albeit complex) question, "Is there something greater than chance tied into the fabric of causality in space and time?" The openness of the film prevents the viewer from appropriating a singular "Signs-watching experience" and instead offers a wider vista for the consideration of these issues. Each time that a viewer returns to this little diadem, (s)he is offered a chance, once again, to consider this question anew with a new set of life experiences.
Additionally, this openness (and somewhat lack of detail) has the added effect of strengthening the thrill-based portion of the film. Since the film doesn't really work in single shocking scenes but by means of high tension, multiple viewings are not destroyed by the dismissal of the action as merely a trite repetition of previous experiences. The viewer is returned to a state of anticipation and not one of full resolution, thereby allowing for the continuation of suspense after numerous viewings.
On the whole, I highly suggest the movie. The more cynical viewers in the world may scoff at its simple question and utilization of Science Fiction as a genre. However, those who are willing to at least engage in the conversation of the film will find themselves generously rewarded. As seasons pass and experiences change, we can all return to the question of "Is life more than chance?" Because this is perennial to all humanity and thanks to the relative "coolness" of the film, Signs is a movie worth viewing many times throughout the years. |
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Signs (Vista Series) dvd movie.